Band of Misfits
by deanstheman
Summary: Purgatory - savage and violent, where every evil sonofabitch ever ganked goes to spend eternity, roaming free to kill and plunder at will. What chance do a human and an angel have of surviving in a place like that? None… at least not alone. But making friends in Purgatory can be a double-edged sword. (Cas-centric fic, OC present, not slash)
1. Prologue

_A Purgatory fic so spoilers for Season 8. This is **not** a slash fic. FYI, I usually post about once a week._

_**Summary:** Purgatory - savage and violent, where every evil sonofabitch ever ganked goes to spend eternity, roaming free to kill and plunder at will. What chance do a human and an angel have of surviving in a place like that for a year? None… at least not alone. But making friends in Purgatory may be a double-edged sword._

**Chapter 1**** - Prologue**

Castiel stood quietly, his relaxed gaze focused on the small black slug-like creature slowly making its way across the forest floor towards him. He let out a soft sigh, figuring he only had another twenty-two seconds before he would have to either move or step on the thing.

He took three long, slow paces backwards before resuming his steady stance. "My apologies," he murmured politely to the slug, who now had a full five-minute journey to make to its intended prey.

He resumed his tranquil pastime of watching the slug move, studying its rhythmic waves of muscular contraction with genuine interest. As a Celestial Being in a land of evil and unholy creatures, he had quickly come to appreciate these rare moments of peace. The slug had almost reached him when he suddenly felt the greater threat coming and he pursed his lips in tired frustration.

_Leviathan. _

There was a sharp, hissing sound and a large black ball jetted out of the sky, landing with an explosive thud on the ground a few feet away. It immediately unfurled itself, a pillar of black tar morphing into the shape of a man. The Leviathan never missed a beat before it stepped out of the small crater its landing had created, moving with robotic fluidity as it strode straight towards the angel.

Cas reacted swiftly, drawing the blade appropriated from a pair of Vetala he had killed a few days ago. He swung it in a horizontal arc, aiming for the neck of his attacker but the Leviathan leaned backwards, just out of reach. Eyes hard with hatred and deadly intent, it lunged forward, thrusting a hand towards the angel's chest. Cas sidestepped quickly and swung the blade sideways, this time finding purchase in the soft flesh just above its Adam's apple. A hard pull upwards separated the creature's head from its body and Cas took a step backwards to avoid the spurt of thick, black blood.

He barely waited until the head hit the ground before he winged out, taking himself as far as he could with his limited Heavenly power. He allowed himself a few seconds rest before winging even farther away, hoping it was enough to cover his trail from the others that were surely seconds behind the first. Leviathan rarely hunted alone, usually appearing in small groups of two or three. Cas knew they would catch his scent again and would be coming for him again but for now at least, he believed he was safe.

He wandered along the pebbled bank of a river for the next hour, bothered only by a single hungry Rugaru who mistook him for dinner. He made quick work of killing it, pressing a hand to its forehead and watching its soul burn in a flash of light beneath its skin. Then finally, the Purgatory sun began to fade and he stopped his travels, knowing _that_ time was drawing near.

He found a grassy patch on a high bank and looked around, making a strained effort to take note of the natural beauty Purgatory had to offer. It was a serene spot and he let out a deep breath before settling in to wait.

Only three weeks in Purgatory and he was already finding it harder and harder to distract himself from the guilt of sins past. This place was ugly and violent and full of abominations who were driven by very their nature to try and kill him. He deserved this. This was his penance. To spend eternity running and fighting until something here finally killed him and put him out of his misery.

His thoughts had been scattered and broken after taking on the burden of Sam's tortured soul. He had made great effort to avoid violence, instead focusing on a pursuit of knowledge and life's gentler side. The approach had lessened the hallucinations of Lucifer and his taunting until they had finally stopped altogether, but the guilt and horror of what he had done to Heaven remained. Hounding him, tearing at him. A thousand images flashed through his mind's eye, images of slain angels, his own brothers and sisters, all of whom had died at his hands for the simple crime of not falling to their knees before him, for not believing he was their new God.

He closed his eyes and tried to push the torturous thoughts aside. He would have preferred to remain within that safe, painless oblivion that insanity had brought him but… but survival instincts and a surprising will to live had pulled him out of it upon his arrival here. He wasn't sure why he kept fighting, why he didn't just give in and let one of these Leviathan give him a much-deserved death.

He sighed. No, he knew why.

It was dusk now, his favorite time of day and the reason he kept fighting to stay alive. He both dreaded this moment and longed for it at the same time. He lowered himself to a restful crouch and closed his eyes, waiting patiently for it to come.

"_Cas?"_

There it was. That soft, quiet voice in his head. That hushed, spoken prayer from Dean.

"_Cas you disappearing, nerdy sonofabitch. You hearin' me? Fuck, why don't you answer me? Hope you're okay, wherever you are. No, I know you're ok, coz, well… you gotta be. You got that? Cas?"_

There was a pause. This was the point where the angel's resolve threatened to crumble, where he fought the almost overwhelming urge to go to his friend. Every night the prayer came and every night Cas almost answered, almost reached out to the man he cared for more deeply than he had ever realized was possible. Every night the knowledge that Dean was safer without him clashed with the aching, heartfelt need Cas could feel in the prayer.

But every night he remained silent.

"_I got a line on a way outta here, Cas. I ran into this vampire – yeah I know, a vamp – but he says there's a way out. Because I'm human I can get out if I find this portal thing. Working with a vamp makes my toes curl but… but I think he's legit. I really do. Cas, I…"_

Dean paused again and whatever sentiment was about to be spoken was swallowed back with a sigh._ "Whatever's got you, wherever you are, you hang in there, you hear me? I'm coming to get you and we're getting outta here. Both of us. We're going home. Just hang in there."_

**~X~X~X~X~**

**Author's Note**: This is my first attempt at a Cas-centric story, so I'm a little nervous and any feedback would be appreciated. The action and interaction will start up soon, I swear – this was just a prelude to set the stage. This fic was born from a request by CeliaSingsSongs (so thank-you!) and although it might not have been exactly what she had in mind, I hope I do it justice.


	2. Finding Nemo

_**Author's Note**__: I would like to let everybody know that this fic was requested by CeliaSingsSongs and was inspired heavily by another Purgatory fic I read (simply called 'Purgatory') by Kaoz. You should go check it out. The plotlines are 100% different and our writing styles are too so it won't spoil this one for you at all, but it is a really good read and a cool take on Purgatory._

_**Second note:**__ Just a head's up that this fic is **NOT** slash (sorry, no Destiel or Denny) and is **NOT** a Dean/OC fic (despite my tendency to hook him up, lol). _

******~X~X~X~X~**

**Chapter 2 ****– Finding Nemo**

A week passed and Castiel kept moving, always trying to stay one step ahead of the Leviathans. If they were focused on him then they weren't hunting Dean so he kept running. Stuck in this god-forsaken place, it was the only thing he could do that would give his life any value or purpose. There was only one innocent here for him to protect.

He was strolling along a narrow path through the endless expanse of trees when he sensed something watching him from the cover of a rock. He came to a halt and tilted his head slightly, trying to figure out what manner of creature it was. Not a vampire… not a ghoul… not an Arachne. It felt like… no, it couldn't be… there weren't any of those in Purgatory. He winged himself over fifty feet so he stood right behind it and a small, almost disappointed sound escaped him when he recognized the creature as a Crocutta, loathsome creatures even by Purgatory standards. He slammed a hand forward, palm-out as it turned to face him, making contact with its forehead and drawing upon his heavenly power to kill it.

Startled when the creature's eyes turned black, he hesitated. An instant later, black smoke began to jet out of its mouth, gushing past him and soaring into the air.

It _was_ a demon! Here, in Purgatory!

He gave chase immediately, winging himself after the fleeing hellspawn. It was hard to track in freeform and he lost it fairly quickly, but he wasn't worried. He would have had a hard time tackling it midflight anyway and a demon couldn't stay loose forever. It would need to find a host. Then he would be able to find it.

He crouched down in a small glade to wait, keeping his senses sharp and feelers out both for signs of the demon or for approaching Leviathan. A frown knitted his eyebrows together with worry at this strange turn of events. What was a demon doing here in Purgatory? Was it after him? Or worse and far more likely, after Dean? He sighed. How could he keep Dean safe from a demon if he couldn't go anywhere near him? He couldn't protect his friend without further endangering him.

Three hours later, shortly after dark and after yet another prayer from the hunter went unanswered, Cas got a sensory line on the demon and winged after it instantly. He found it in a shapeshifter, its form that of a blonde man in his late thirties.

He curled his fingers around its neck and, this time better-prepared, slammed his other hand over the creature's mouth before the demon could escape. The possessed shapeshifter squirmed and writhed in his grip, eyes black as the moonless night sky.

"You are a demon," he stated flatly, retracting the hand covering the man's mouth just enough to let him talk.

"No shit. Give the angel a freaking cigar."

"Demons cannot possess monsters. Their souls are too twisted, too damaged."

The demon gave up his struggle and sagged into in the angel's strong hold. Cas pushed it up against a tree and took a step backwards, ready to react if it tried to smoke out.

His captor shrugged. "You'd be surprised how adaptable us demons can be when we're out of options."

"But how did you get here? Demons do not belong in Purgatory."

"Last I checked, neither do angels."

Cas scowled, trying to appear threatening. The demon raised his hands in mock submission and shook his head. "Really, Castiel? Am I that forgettable? You were standing right there when Crowley used me as a crash test dummy for his fucking door."

Cas kept an impassive expression on his face despite his shock at the revelation. He remembered. Before discovering the correct spell, he and Crowley had been trying many different ways to open a gate to Purgatory. They had actually succeeded in opening one questionable portal but it was small and unstable and they weren't even sure where it led. Cas suggested they test it and, without a second thought, Crowley threw one of his own minions into the shimmering void. The hole disappeared immediately afterwards.

The sacrificed demon had been a young girl. "You were possessing a human at the time," Cas said accusingly.

"I've moved on."

"And the human?"

A shrug. "Who cares?"

"I do. Where is your vessel?"

The demon snorted, giving Cas a jeering look. "You didn't give a damn about her when Crowley tossed us in here."

Cas flinched, remembering how he had watched impassively as Crowley threw the demon in the hole, never sparing a single thought for the innocent human inside.

"Is she still alive?" he demanded, taking a step forward that was again intended to be threatening.

"She was when I left her," the demon answered with a shrug, looking more tired and annoyed than scared.

"Why did you leave?"

"Because a vamp got a hold of us and let's just say he wasn't fond of my kind."

"Of demons?"

"No, of unicorns." Cas frowned once more at the sarcasm but the demon simply rolled his eyes before continuing. "Crazy bastard kept exorcizing me over and over."

"How does one exorcize the same demon repeatedly?"

"You know, for an angel you're pretty fucking clueless, mate. You can't exorcize a demon to Hell from Purgatory, at least not with your standard invocatio. The words hurt like a son of a bitch but they don't open a door from here. After getting an hourly dose of that for two months… let's just say I didn't feel like sticking around. First chance I got, I split."

"And the human?"

"Far as I know, psycho-vamp still has her."

"How do I find this vampire?"

"Fucked if I know! His name's Walker. George or Geordie or Gordon or something Walker." The demon took a step forward off the tree. "Listen, angel, we're in neutral territory here so what do you say we just agree to co-habitate? I'll leave you alone and you leave me alone?" he bargained.

"No. I think I should do away with you."

"Whoa, whoa, wait." He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Can't exorcize from Purgatory, remember?"

"I don't exorcize," Cas said evenly. "I smite." He stepped forward and pressed his palm against the shapeshifter's forehead, sending a blast of power into the creature before the demon could escape. Flashes of orange shone from beneath the skin before the body slumped to the forest floor, dead.

Castiel pursed his lips in thought, contemplating all he had just discovered. His priority thus far had been to keep the Leviathan after him and away from Dean. After that, he had no purpose here but to suffer and repent. There was no good he could do in a land of monsters. Saving vampires from Rugaru or vice versa made no logical sense and served no greater cause. More importantly, it offered him no redemption for all the wrong he had done. But if there was another human, one he had played a hand in sending here nonetheless... well, that was a mission with purpose.

Yes, he thought with conviction. He would find the human and rescue her from the vampire. Besides Dean, she was the only innocent in this place. It was only one soul, not enough to even make a dent in his path to redemption, but it was something. Glad to finally have a mission beyond survival, he set out to find her.

**~X~X~X~X~**

In between brief but violent bouts with Leviathan, the next few days were spent seeking out vampires and interrogating them before sending them to their death – or final death, or nothingness, or whatever happened to a soul killed in Purgatory. Vampires were an unfriendly lot, loyal to the death to those they considered nest-mates but barely social beyond that circle. It was slow-going and a trail of fanged bodies were left in his wake, but Cas began to piece together information on this vampire named Walker.

The name was Gordon Walker. He was anti-social even for a vampire and had no nest-mates. He live alone, traveled alone, and hunted alone. It was said he hated all creatures but most of all vampires and was known for killing his own kind. It seemed to be the general consensus that Walker hated vampires so much that the only thing stopping him from cutting his own head off was the fact it would prevent him from killing other vampires.

Information on his human captive was more scarce. One unfortunate vampire in the angel's clutches finally admitted she had heard that Walker had a female human at one point, but that had only been for a few months and he had lost her to Luthor over a year and a half ago.

"Luthor?" Cas demanded harshly. "Who is Luthor?"

Luthor was the leader of a large nest whose territory extended from the plains to the three-forked waterfall. Apparently, he had kept the girl for about a year, using her for food, entertainment, and bragging rights until a hoard of ghouls attacked, trying to steal her. The vampire didn't know if the ghouls got her or not, only that Luthor was 'seriously pissed off' when he lost his prize.

Cas thanked her politely for the information and promptly killed her, not bothering to look down as her body sank to the forest floor at his feet. It would seem he had no more use for vampires. He would now have to move on and start seeking out ghouls.

Logic was nagging at him to cease this futile effort for if the ghouls had taken the human, they would not have fed on her in small doses as the vampires apparently had, allowing her to replenish her strength and blood between feeds to make her last. No, the ghouls would simply have devoured her, tearing flesh from bones until there was not a scrap left. He pushed the negative thoughts aside and kept following the trail.

As he set out, he wondered briefly if this was what Sam and Dean felt like when hunting, if they felt that very same sense of satisfaction every time another piece of information was discovered, another stone unturned. He had to admit, it held a certain appeal.

**~X~X~X~X~**

It took two days to find the den of ghouls. They were elusive creatures who stayed underground much of the time and kept to their own kind. Cas marched directly into the middle of the nest, smiting left and right and demanding to know where the human was. He was met with nothing but desperate pleas and frantic denials of knowing anything about a human.

It wasn't until he reached the leader, a pale, bloated beast in the ghoul's true form, that he received a useful answer. Between sobs and whimpers, the ghoul admitted trying to capture a human from Luthor's nest as a gift to their former leader but not being successful. The girl got away in the melee.

Cas killed him and left the den. He quickly sought a quiet hideout where he could rest and replenish his strength because smiting over twenty ghouls in a row had almost completely drained him. There was no direct link between Heaven and Purgatory for him to form a connection so his power was limited and slow to renew. He found shelter in a small thicket and sat down heavily on the grass.

Perhaps the human female was already free. Perhaps she had no need for him or his help after all. Or perhaps, and this was the most likely scenario, she was already dead. A lone human in this environment would be hard pressed to last a month. Cas was loathe to admit it, but the same applied to Dean. Cas could keep the Leviathan away from his friend but the remainder of Dean's days would still be spent in a bloody, desperate, non-stop fight for survival. A female human without Dean's strength and skills stood no chance.

He could at least check on Dean. He would wing in for brief moments, keeping enough distance the hunter didn't see him and watching for just long enough to assure himself Dean was alive and healthy and his new questionable traveling companion hadn't turned on him. Dean also kept up the nightly prayers, ever loyal and hopeful despite getting no response for five weeks now.

Cas did not know the other human. He had no connection with her and therefore, no way of finding her with what Dean referred to as his 'angel-mojo'. He sighed, resting his chin on his knees which were bent up before him. He would keep looking. She was most likely long-dead but on the off-chance she wasn't, he would keep looking. She was, after all, the only means of redemption available to him in this land of monsters.

**~X~X~X~X~**

It was another full week before he found her. It was dawn and Purgatory's bleak, pale sun was just peeking through the forest cover when he felt an unmistakable human presence wrapped up in a wave of fear. He winged towards it, showing up to find the tiny human backed into a narrow crevice between two large rocks, jabbing a makeshift blade wildly at a snarling Gogmagog clawing at her from one side while its Rugaru master moved around to climb the steep banking and come at her from the other end.

Cas cut off the Rugaru, making quick work of it and dropping it to the ground with lights still dancing behind its eyes. As he moved towards the hairy beast still trying to force its way between the two rocks, he momentarily regretted his pacifist phase right before being hurtled to Purgatory for this would have been easier had he been carrying his angel dagger. Gogmagog's were strong, vicious creatures that resembled a cross between a gorilla and a wolf. The angel reached out and grabbed its tail, dragging its front end out of the narrow opening. As soon as it twisted towards him, its large fangs snapping wildly, he lunged forward and grabbed it by the head with two hands, staggering backwards as he summoned his power to kill it.

It gasped and writhed for a second before sagging lifelessly in his grip. He tossed it aside and lifted his head towards the crevice, trying to see the human crouching in the darkness. As he stepped forward there was a sharp zing sound and an arrow shot out of the opening and sank into his chest. He stopped and peered down at it, caught by surprise.

"I mean you no…" He cut off his declaration of peace when another arrow flew straight towards his left eye. His hand shot up and caught it mid-air barely an inch from its mark and he threw an annoyed look at the unseen human in the darkness. He paused and exhaled loudly as he pulled the arrow out of his chest also. "I mean you no harm," he repeated.

He got no reply. Realizing she was merely human and most likely terrified, he decided to be patient and not scare her further. He would coax her to come out of her own free will. He took a step backwards and spoke calmly into the crevice. "My name is Castiel. I am an…"

He was cut off once more, this time by a small dagger flying through the air again aimed at his left eye. He tilted his head sideways and let it soar past his ear to land harmlessly on the forest floor. It had come from above and he looked up sharply to see the girl on top of the rocks that had formed the crevice. She must have climbed out the back of the nook and rather than risk exposure by climbing up the steep banking beyond, she was going to go on the offensive, coming at him from above. Since he stood between her and quick escape into the forest, she was going to attack.

He furrowed his brow at the futility, not to mention stupidity, of attacking an angel head-on before it occurred to him she probably thought he was a Rugaru. After all, they did usually come in pairs. In Purgatory, the only failsafe method of killing all manner of creatures was decapitation and sure enough, she launched her tiny form at him, a homemade scimitar swinging at his neck in a smooth, wide arc. A fierce scream he likened to a battle-cry escaped her as she bore down on him from above.

He winged sideways, reaching out as he did so to snatch the weapon from her grip and toss it aside. She landed on the ground with a thud and rolled swiftly to her feet, spinning to face him. Her eyes were wide and wild and her body tense as she took a fighting stance, her hand already reaching for another dagger from a holster on her leg.

Cas got his first good look at her and was surprised at what he saw. He hadn't seen a human in this state for a millennium. She was filthy, both her clothes and her face streaked with dirt. Her hair was long and brown but pulled haphazardly into a high ponytail that made her look much younger than he believed her to be. Her clothes were ripped and shapeless and had conspicuous bulges indicating concealed weapons of every variety.

"I mean you no harm," he said quickly, hoping to fend off her next attack before it started. "I am not going to hurt you."

She never moved a muscle and remained silent, her eyes never leaving his.

"I am an angel of the Lord," he offered. "I have come to help you."

Again no reaction; she just kept staring at him, blade held out threateningly in front of her.

"That weapon will be of no use against me," he pointed out. "Attacking me would be unwise and futile."

She never even blinked. Cas sighed and reached out to her mind, just enough to find something useful. "Your name is Nia," he stated, pulling back. "I have sought you out to try and help you. There is another human…" He let his sentence trail off when he heard a sound behind him. Turning his head he caught sight of another Rugaru, this one female, charging towards them with blade drawn. Must be the mate of the dead Rugaru, he surmised.

He spun quickly and strode towards their attacker, arm outstretched. He sidestepped the swing of the blade the flesheating monster carried and put her down angel-style, his usual intense expression on his face. When the Rugaru fell to the ground he turned back towards Nia only to find her gone. He glanced to his right to see the last glimpse of her disappear into the cover of the trees.

He pursed his lips. Had he not just saved her? Twice? Why would she flee? He couldn't leave her alone in this hostile environment. He needed to help her, to save her in some grander capacity in order for it to count for anything.

He winged himself in front of her, standing his ground as she skidded to a halt with the scimitar she had swung at him earlier gripped in her fist.

"Please don't run," he said. "I am trying to help you."

She replied by swinging the blade, again aiming for his neck. It struck him but he got his arm up before it could do any real damage. He snatched it from her hands for the second time and scowled as he wrapped a fist in the front of her baggy coat and lifted so her feet were barely scraping the ground.

"I. Am. Not. Going. To. Hurt. You." He said it sternly, his patience waning quickly.

She wriggled and squirmed and kicked out at him trying to get loose but he simply held her tight, waiting for her to give up. She finally fell still and her eyes rose to meet his, her expression angry and defiant.

"I mean you no harm," he said for what seemed like the umpteenth time. When he got no answer he cocked his head slightly sideways in curiosity. "Can you speak?"

She nodded yet remained silent, eyes still narrowed at him.

"I am trying to help you."

She made a sound that resembled a snort and one corner of her mouth lifted in a hint of a smile.

Cas frowned. "You do not believe me? Did I not just…"

"I remember you."

She spoke. He would have been pleased had her words not delivered him a renewed rush of guilt.

"You and Crowley dancing," she said with a laugh, though her eyes held no mirth.

"Dancing?" Cas wasn't sure what she meant by that but he had no doubts she remembered his involvement in her being thrown into Purgatory over two and a half years ago.

"I was invisible," she continued. "You saw the demon."

Cas figured out what she was getting at and he sighed, loosening his grip in her jacket slightly. "I am sorry," he said sincerely. "I should have protected you and driven the demon out of you instead of worrying about my own agenda at the time. I can't take back what Crowley and I did to you and for what you have been through since that day, I am truly sorry."

He noticed her hard glare soften slightly and was encouraged enough to lower her slightly and unwrap his fist from her coat. When he took a step back, she stayed where she was but kept her amber eyes fixed on him.

"I have committed grievous mistakes and made unfathomable choices that I regret deeply but cannot erase," he admitted openly. "What happened to you was but one of those. It is, however, the only one I can currently try to remedy in some small measure."

They stood in silence for a long moment, Castiel lost in silent reflection of his past mistakes and Nia studying him closely the whole time.

"I have heard of a means to escape Purgatory," he informed her finally, referring to Dean's planned way out. "Since you are human, there may be a way…"

"Not real," she said with a shake of her head. "Rumor."

She sounded so sure. Cas had thought it a long shot anyway but had hoped it held some validity for Dean's sake. He nodded. "Maybe so," he continued, "but there is another human here. His name is Dean Winchester. I shall take you to him and he can help protect you from…"

"No."

"He is skilled and capable and…"

"No."

"You cannot survive long alone."

"Survived so far. Better just me. No other humans."

"He will not hurt you."

"But a thousand others will with his stink around."

Cas tilted his head in thought. This human was strange, even by the angel's standards, but he had no trouble following her meaning. Dean's humanity was surely attracting a constant stream of unwanted attackers in this place, as was Nia's, but she had more confidence in flying below their radar and going unnoticed alone than as a duo. He resisted the urge to scrunch up his nose as he belatedly realized how foul she smelled, obviously an attempt to cover up her distinctly human scent in a land of monsters with heightened senses of smell. He knew it would not work entirely since her humanity was more than just a physical smell of blood and sweat. These creatures could smell her pure, clean soul.

He continued his argument, trying to persuade her to let him take her to Dean and travel with the capable, seasoned hunter but she adamantly refused, speaking mostly in one or two-word sentences but never wavering on her position. He finally gave up, admitting the validity of her argument that two humans together would attract far more attention than two single ones. He apologized once more for sending her here and was about to leave when she stopped him.

"Wait," she said, taking a step closer. "Can't you stay?"

He shook his head. "I will bring more danger upon you than you can imagine," he said honestly. "The Leviathan are after me. I have a price on my head and they will stop at nothing to find me and kill me."

"What's Leviathan?"

"The oldest beings in Purgatory," he informed her. "And the reason it was created."

"I can help you kill them."

He gave her a skeptical look. "They are a far worse foe than a Rugaru couple," he admonished. "You cannot stay with me."

Her face fell and she suddenly looked tired and sad and… so innocent. Cas's guilt meter spiked and he reminded himself of his purpose in seeking her out. "If you are in trouble," he told her slowly, "just pray to me. I will find you if you pray to me."

She looked baffled. "Pray?"

He nodded. "Yes, pray. Aloud or silently. I will hear you."

"I prayed for a year with that demon inside me. Nobody answered. I prayed for another year when Luthor had me. Nobody answered."

Cas gave her a long, purposeful look. "Pray to me. I will answer."

With that he disappeared.

**~X~X~X~X~**

**__****Author's Note**_: __ FYI, I'm sure you all remember Gordon Walker but just in case any of you didn't remember Luthor, he is the vampire John Winchester shot with the Colt in season 1 to test it. I know Nia may seem a little strange but hopefully you'll end up liking her as the story goes on. __BTW,__Dean and Benny join the story next chapter. Reminder, this is NOT a Dean-OC fic._


	3. And Then there Were Four

_**Previously**__: While still avoiding Dean, Cas discovers there is another human in Purgatory, one who had been possessed by a demon when Cas and Crowley threw her into a test-gate two years ago, and he sets out to find her in an effort to earn some redemption for his past mistakes. He finds her living alone in the wild. She is a bit strange and he tries to convince her to find Dean but she refuses, not wanting to be around another human since they are magnets for monsters in Purgatory. He tells her she can't stay with him either because of the Leviathan threat but to pray to him if she needs him._

_**Author's Note**__: I normally never include actual scenes from the show in my stories because I assume you have all seen the episode and don't want it to be boring or unoriginal, but there is a small scene in this chapter taken almost directly from the show. I have added Cas's perspective and it's not long so hopefully it won't seem repetitive._

**~X~X~X~X~**

**Chapter 3 – And Then There Were Four**

It was mid-afternoon that same day when Castiel received his first prayer from Nia, nothing more than a soft, hesitant whisper in his head.

"_Castiel?"_

He fixed on it immediately and winged to her side before she had even finished his name. She was sitting in the shelter of an upturned tree root, munching on a yellow piece of fruit he knew to be one of the few edible kinds of vegetation in Purgatory. She started when he appeared next to her, dropping the fruit and reaching to her side for a weapon. He looked around sharply, assuming she was being attacked but saw no signs of danger.

"Are you in peril?" he demanded, looking down at her.

Recognition hit her amber eyes and white teeth flashed amid her dirt-streaked face as she grinned and rose to stand, moving a careful step backwards to put a little more space between them.

"You came!" At barely five feet tall, she had to tilt her head up to look him in the eye.

"You prayed," he said with a nod. "Are you in danger?"

"I shot you," she blurted, ignoring his question and studying him curiously. "With an arrow. But you're not hurt."

He glanced down at his chest, at the new hole in his worn and tattered trench coat. "I heal," he informed her simply. "Why did you call me?"

"Your eyes are kind."

"Thank-you, but they belong to my vessel."

"No his are pretty; _yours_ are kind."

He understood the difference and what she was saying but refused to be distracted and got right to the point. "It is not safe for you to be near me. If you are not in immediate danger, I must go."

"Can I come?"

"That would defeat the purpose of me leaving," he explained without sarcasm. "If you seek protection, I can take you to Dean. As I told you before, he is…"

"Human," she cut in, rolling her eyes and sounding an exasperated groan.

"And I am an angel. It is far more dangerous to be in my company than that of another human."

She didn't say anything further but just stood there with her eyes locked on his so he decided she was not in any danger and that he should take his leave. "I will go now." With that, he disappeared back to the same spot he had left a moment earlier.

Two hours later, another prayer came in.

"_Castiel?"_

He rushed to her once more only find her still free of danger. She asked to come with him again and again he refused, explaining patiently that it would not be in her best interest. He promptly left only to receive another prayer from her at dusk, shortly after Dean had finished his unanswered nightly plea for an appearance by the angel.

"_Castiel?"_

He hesitated in answering it.

"_Castiel?... Uh, danger here?"_

He pursed his lips, her calm tone not convincing him, but sought her out anyway. This time he noticed her arm was bleeding around a fresh bandage and for a moment he thought the summons was legitimate. "Do you need help?" he asked quickly.

She shook her head, pointing to a dead body twenty feet away. Cas thought it looked like an Okami but with no head in sight, he couldn't be sure. The congealed blood indicated it had been dead for at least an hour. "Why did you not call me sooner?" he frowned.

She shrugged. "You're here now. Can you stay?"

Cas let out a long sigh, not understanding why Nia refused to accept what he was telling her. He began to think the girl was what Meg would have referred to as '_cuckoo for cocoa puffs_' during their time together at the psychiatric facility. Although he had never understood what a lack of sanity had to do with the breakfast cereal the hospital served on Wednesdays, her meaning had been understood. "I cannot put you in that kind of danger," Cas explained for the umpteenth time. "I must keep you safe."

She tilted her head. "Why? What's it to you?"

"Because you are the only measure of redemption I have available to me," he said truthfully, noting her confused look but not bothering to explain further. "You can pray to me and I will hear you," he continued, "but I cannot come unless you are in danger."

He left again, finding a good-sized rock in a secluded area to sit on for the night. It was but twenty minutes later he heard her voice in his head.

"_Castiel?"_

He closed his eyes but didn't move, choosing just to listen like he did with Dean. But she didn't talk, or say anything really. She simply repeated his name every few minutes until she was singing it in an almost teasing tone.

"_Castiel."_

"_Castiel."_

"_Castie-e-ell."_

"_Castie-e-e-e-e-e-ellll."_

The 'prayers' continued for the remainder of the night, sometimes five minutes apart and sometimes twenty. Never more than his name but never said with any measure of panic. To the angel's relief, they stopped at dawn but after a day wrought with Leviathan attacks, he settled himself down, glad for the reprieve darkness brought him for Leviathan rarely attacked at night. He was looking forward to hearing Dean's comforting, indirect words of affection but it was Nia's voice that reached him first.

"_Castiel."_

"_Castiel."_

He groaned audibly, both frustrated and grudgingly impressed by her tenacity.

"_Hey buddy, you out there?"_ His eyes snapped open. That was Dean.

"_Castie-e-ell." _That was Nia.

"_Had a rough day today, man."_ Dean sounded tired… and hurt. Cas frowned, regretting that his limited power would not allow him to heal or transport anyone but his own vessel. He could not heal Dean.

"_Castie-e-ell."_

"_This pack of Pelkin got the jump on us. Tore up my arm pretty good. Benny… he's gonna be limping for a while. I wish you were here, Cas. I really could have used you today. This place… it just never stops, ya know?"_

"_Castie-e-ell."_

"_Well, I'm gonna keep it short coz I need some serious shut-eye and it's Benny's watch right now. Answer me soon, Cas. If you can. But if you can't…"_

"_Castie-e-ell."_

"…_just know that I'm not gonna stop looking for you, 'kay? Hang in there, buddy."_

The connection to Dean severed but Nia's intermittent chanting of his name continued again until sun-up. The calls were almost playful for a little while before gradually turning meek and tired-sounding. As before, they stopped come morning and Cas didn't hear from her for the rest of the day.

Three nights later she was still at it. He had received no panicked calls of help from her so he kept his distance but in the middle of the third night, his patience ran out and he appeared standing next to where she was huddled beneath an overgrown branch.

"Nia." His voice was stern.

She jumped at the sound and Cas recalled the many times Dean had scolded him for not giving any warning before 'popping in'.

"My apologies," he said almost instinctively. "But you must stop summoning me when there is no danger."

She was on her feet at this point, keeping the usual yard-wide buffer between them and staring up at him, her pupils wide in the moonless dark. "There's always danger," she said evenly.

He looked around but saw or heard nothing in the vicinity with any of his angel senses. "You are safe for the moment," he declared.

"For the moment," she repeated. "But if I fall asleep…" She shrugged, the motion barely perceptible through the oversized, ripped, brown jacket she was wearing.

His brow creased in thought but he didn't answer.

"You haven't tried to kill me or eat me so… stay?" She looked at him imploringly and he was suddenly aware of the heavy fatigue reflected in her eyes.

He sighed. "I have explained the reasons I can't."

"Just at night," she bargained, not taking no for an answer. "The nights are the worst. Can't sleep and keep watch at the same time and... and I'm tired. So tired. If I sleep they get close and… the Rugaru and that dog-thing…"

"Gogmagog," Cas supplied promptly, remembering her attackers when he had first found her pinned down in that small rock crevice.

"I feel asleep," she admitted with a shrug.

Though not overly descriptive, her meaning was clear to the angel. She had fallen asleep and given the opportunity for the two Rugaru and their pet to smell her out and get close enough to attack with the advantage of surprise. With her small size and limited strength, her only hope of survival in this place was to see the enemy coming before it saw her, to flee whenever possible. Living alone, she could not keep watch while she slept and humans needed sleep. He considered renewing his argument for her to seek out Dean but her next comment stopped him.

"Your human is stupid," she said bluntly. "Going on a rampage, letting everything know he's here. This was a quiet part of the forest but not now. So many monsters now. Coming here. Looking for him. Looking for a human."

Cas gave her a sheepish look. "He is searching for me."

"Your stupid human is going to get me killed."

He sighed. He had hoped Dean would have given up by now, stopped going on the offensive and attacking every manner of creature only to demand what they knew of the angel's whereabouts. Dean was putting himself in more danger than he was already in and now it seemed, he was unknowingly putting Nia in more danger also. He could only hope the hunter would give up soon and start focusing on getting out of Purgatory instead.

The Leviathan didn't attack at night, he reasoned, returning his thoughts to the problem at hand. Keeping watch while Nia slept was a feasible option as long as he was gone before morning. He looked down at her thoughtfully. The harder it was to keep her safe, the greater value he could place upon his selfless efforts to protect her, right? Was that not how redemption and penance worked?

"Very well," he said. "I will stay and keep you safe while you sleep but I must depart before dawn."

She nodded furiously but didn't move from where she stood facing him. Cas stood awkwardly for a long moment before raising an eyebrow. "Go ahead. You may sleep now."

She glanced down at the sheltered spot beneath the overgrown branch she had been huddled in upon his arrival. When she looked back up at him, she seemed nervous. "You won't leave?"

"Not without waking you," he assured her.

"You won't fall asleep?"

"I am an angel. I do not require sleep."

She fidgeted for another minute, glancing back and forth between the makeshift bed next to her and Cas, clearly unsure of something. "You just gonna stand there?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"_Right_ there?"

The memory of Dean griping about 'personal space' came to him and he took a few long steps backwards. "Is this better?"

She nodded but stood nervously for a few more seconds before finally sinking down and squeezing herself back under the branch. She wrapped her arms around her knees and curled up but remained upright, her eyes open and watching the angel. Cas realized he couldn't expect her to fully trust him right away even if she had asked for this. After all, he was no doubt the first creature she had come across in two years that had not immediately tried to eat her, kill her, or make her suffer.

It was still six hours from dawn and for the next two she remained awake, blinking at him through the gaps in the branches. He could tell she was exhausted but her paranoia and fear from the life of pure survival she had been leading were clearly not letting her relax enough to let her guard down and she was still fighting sleep. He remained silent, standing stoically fifteen feet away and refraining from pointing out that she was the one who had asked him to stay. Finally, he decided to simply take matters into his own hands and strode over to where she was huddled, reaching down towards her. She tensed as he approached then panicked and moved to scramble away when he bent down but when his fingers touched her forehead, she went limp and was instantly asleep. He moved back over to where he had been previously standing and resumed his watch.

**~X~X~X~X~**

He killed a vampire and a wraith while Nia slept. Her humanity was indeed attracting all kinds of monsters. As dawn broke, he touched her forehead again, straightening up and taking a step back when her eyes sprang open. She pushed away from him, one fist wrapping around her bow and the other already pulling a knife from somewhere in her coat. He stood still and waited for recognition to reach her.

"It is almost morning," he said when she calmed. "I have to leave."

"W-will you come back?" she asked as she crawled out from beneath the branches and rose to her feet.

He nodded. "I will return after dark." With that, he winged out.

**~X~X~X~X~**

Cas did as he had promised, showing up shortly after dark the next night. He did not attempt to help Nia sleep this time for she had scolded him scathingly upon his arrival, warning him with narrowed eyes never to touch her again. Despite her opening rebuke, however, she seemed far more relaxed around him, even smiling at him as she hunkered down in a hollowed out tree root. She didn't sleep for a while but she wasn't constantly eyeing him with suspicion like the evening before.

Not long after she did drift off, Cas heard a Wendigo approaching. He moved to intercepted it but Nia was at his side with her scimitar drawn before he managed to kill it. It fell screaming to its death at his feet and he looked down at her standing next to him. "You should have stayed back," he reprimanded. "These creatures move swiftly."

"Faster than me," she agreed, holding up her weapon.

Cas saw her point, that she had to fight it because she couldn't outrun it, but assured her that even in Purgatory an angel was more than capable of handling a Wendigo. She nodded and returned to her sheltered spot without another word.

They fell into a routine over the next few weeks. Cas would show up sometime after dark to be greeted with a smile, which he curiously found quite endearing. Nia would curl up in whatever hole she had chosen for the night and they would remain silent until she fell asleep. At first, he would leave shortly after she woke up, usually quite some time before dawn but he began to linger longer each morning, sticking around until the first pale rays of sun were peeking through the treetops, pushing the limits of his Leviathan-free window. She had taken to crawling out of her hole and moving to sit next to him for their last couple of hours together, a time he also found surprisingly pleasant. She still avoided any physical contact, always keeping a foot or two of space between them, but her comfort level with him was definitely growing. In fact, she seemed to relish his company even though they didn't speak much. The lack of conversation suited Cas fine; he had always been content with comfortable silence.

He began to look forward to his nightly visit with Nia, much like he looked forward to Dean's prayer. He got into the habit of bringing food for her when he came, as much because he enjoyed her smiled appreciation and her sitting next to him to eat it as to save her the risk and hassle of hunting. As manifestations of souls, most creatures here didn't need to eat but merely hunted, killed and devoured for pleasure, sport, or out of basic monster instinct. Dean and Nia, however, were flesh and blood humans and still required sustenance.

He sat one night with his elbows resting on his knees which were bent up before him. It had been an uneventful night so far, with no attacks from the creatures of Purgatory and he was glad for the peace. He glanced down at Nia, who had taken to curling up on the ground next to him as she slept, forsaking the protection of her shelter for that of the angel she was clearly growing to trust. He found himself getting strangely attached to her, protective for more reason than earning a shred of redemption. Perhaps he had been among humans too long. As an angel in Heaven's service, he had spent years on end in solitude on many occasions without a second thought but now he found himself missing Dean terribly and enjoying the company of the strange new human friend he had made.

As they often did since arriving in Purgatory, his thoughts drifted to Dean. The hunter kept praying every night. It had been well over two months yet he still refused to let Cas go, refused to give up on finding him. The hunter's loyalty to him was undeserved but it warmed Castiel's heart to have it bestowed upon him in such great measure. The angel still doubted the way out that this vampire was promising was real and he didn't like the thought of Dean alone with the Godless soul even though blood lust wasn't a factor in Purgatory. But surely this Benny was far less threat to Dean than an angel by his side in the homeland of the Leviathan. Dean was stubborn and persistent but at least he was still alive.

He was pulled from his thoughts by Nia stirring in her sleep. He glanced downwards again, this time moving a hand to hover over her, respecting her wishes to not touch her. It was a cooler night than usual, the weather being completely random and unpredictable here, and he could feel she was cold even before she shivered. Her baggy coat had been ripped one too many times in combat to keep the frigid air out completely but she hadn't appropriated another one from a slain enemy yet, the general method of shopping in Purgatory. Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked at him sleepily a few times before shimmying herself closer until her shoulder was actually pressing against his hip. She curled up tighter and closed her eyes again, going right back to sleep. Cas hesitated but finally lowered his hand to rest gingerly on her shoulder and he remained still until she woke up

**~X~X~X~X~**

It was two and a half months to the day when Dean found him. The weary angel had been plagued with Leviathan attacks all morning and was taking advantage of a small respite to wash his hands and face in a creek when he heard the familiar voice.

"Cas!"

He blinked slowly, chastising himself inwardly for letting his guard down. He should have sensed his friend approaching and been gone before he was spotted. "Dean," he said with resignation as he rose slowly to his feet.

He was struck with an unexpected rush of emotion as he turned and took in the sight of the hunter striding towards him, a broad grin brightening his bloody face.

Cas was a little stunned at both his reaction and Dean's. It was clear his friend had forgiven him, if undeservedly so, for the many ways Cas had wronged him. He knew this the instant Dean pulled him into that hug, a rare show of emotion from the guarded hunter, and by the fond brush of Cas's cheek when he commented on the facial growth the angel had not wasted his limited energy on stunting.

"Ho, it's good to see you. Nice peach fuzz."

"Thank-you," was all he could come up with in response.

Dean then took the opportunity to introduce him to the vampire he was traveling with, the grin still plastered on his face. Benny had been keeping a wary distance but Cas paid him no heed.

"How did you find me?" the angel blurted.

Dean's face tightened slightly. "The bloody way. You feeling okay?"

Cas guessed Dean was referring to his mental state. Looking tensely around for any sign of Leviathan, he rambled on about sanity until Benny interrupted.

"Why'd you bail on Dean?" the vampire demanded, his animosity plain to all.

Dean tried to keep the peace. "Dude," he placated.

But Benny wasn't going to back down. "Way I hear it, you two hit monsterland and hot-wings here took off. I figure he owes you some backstory," he said to Dean.

Cas cringed as he listened to Dean blindly defending him and found himself countering the easy excuse he was being handed.

"No," he interrupted.

He would have to have been blind to miss the hurt that flared behind Dean's stony gaze.

"What?" the hunter choked.

"I ran away."

"You ran away?"

"I had to."

"That's your excuse for leaving me with those gorilla wolves?"

"Dean..."

"You bailed out and what? Went camping? I prayed to you, Cas, _every_ _night_."

"I know."

"You know and you didn't... what the Hell's wrong with you?"

Cas immediately regretted the admission, the depth of hurt reflected in Dean's face hitting him like a physical blow. Dean already doubted his self worth, didn't see the brave, selfless, admirable and even inspirational man that he was. Cas hated the thought that his friend would believe for one second that he had abandoned him for lack of caring so he quickly explained.

"I am an angel in a land of abomination. There have been things hunting me from the moment we arrived."

"Join the club!"

"These are not just monsters, Dean, they're Leviathan! I have a price on my head. I've been trying to stay one step ahead of them to... to keep them away from you." That was the honest truth. He only hoped his friend would believe him after all that had transpired between them the year before. "That's why I ran," he justified. There was a brief but tense silence. "Just leave me please," he finished wearily.

Benny was more than happy to oblige. "Sounds like a plan; let's roll."

But Dean had never given up on anything so easily and Cas should not have been surprised by his refusal to leave. "Hold on, hold on. Cas, we're getting out of here. We're going home."

"Dean, I can't." The words barely made it out of his mouth. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to have a friend at his side. To roam this place alone was his penance, his punishment, his _right_.

"You can. Benny, tell him."

"Purgatory has an escape hatch but I got no idea if it's angel friendly," the vampire said grudgingly.

"We'll figure it out." Dean looked back at him and his next words clawed at Cas's emotions, wrenching him in two very different directions. "Cas, buddy... I need you."

He shook his head. "Dean..."

"If Leviathan want to take a shot at us, let 'em! We ganked those bitches once before, we can do it again."

There was that infamous bravado. Cas was pleased to see Purgatory hadn't broken the resilient hunter... yet. He didn't miss the desperation or the lack of conviction behind the rallying words.

"It's too dangerous."

"Let me bottom line it for you," Dean fired back. Cas's heart sank for he knew that tone. "I'm not leaving here without you. Understand?"

It was evident Dean would never leave him. Just like he would never have abandoned Sam, or Bobby, or his father. It just wasn't in Dean to let anybody down even though those around him kept failing to return the favor. Dean would keep searching for Cas until he got killed for his efforts. It became clear Cas would have to rethink his strategy but for now, it seemed he would be traveling with Dean.

"I understand."

Of course now he was faced with a new problem... bringing Nia into the fold.

"I too have someone to introduce you to."

**~X~X~X~X~**

As expected, Nia was not amenable to the angel's proposal. He had asked Dean to remain by the creek bed, promising to meet him back there tonight and had immediately winged to Nia. Because his limited powers in Purgatory would not allow him to carry anyone with him when he traveled angel-style, Nia would have to travel by foot and they would already be hard-pressed to make it to Dean by night fall.

Upon voicing his intention to take her to the hunter, she immediately shook her head, repeating some rather unflattering comments about Dean's intelligence and attraction to the monsters of Purgatory. Even promising that he would stay with them during the days also did not convince her and it wasn't until he told her sternly he would no longer be able to come to her at nights that her arguments ceased and she reluctantly agreed.

She traveled faster than he had expected, not needing to stop and rest for the entire six hour trek and even eating as she walked. They reached the pebbled beach around dusk to find Dean and Benny sitting side by side tossing small stones into the water in some sort of 'skipping' contest. They both jumped up at the sound of Cas's feet crunching on the pebbles, weapons already drawn.

Nia gasped and immediately ducked in behind Cas, her small stature granting her near full cover behind the folds of his tattered trench coat. He could hear the distinct sound of her bowstring going taut as she loaded an arrow and pointed it over his shoulder.

Dean quirked an eyebrow, trying to see past Cas to the figure behind him but raised his hands when he caught sight of the arrow aimed at him.

"Whoa, what the Hell, dude?" he demanded of Cas.

Cas sighed and wrapped a hand around the arrowhead by his ear, pushing it down to face the ground. "This is Dean," he explained over his shoulder. "He will not hurt you."

"Yeah," Dean said gruffly, lowering his arms though retaining a ready grip on his weapon. "We're on the same side here."

Cas nodded, giving Dean the okay to approach. He was thankful Benny remained quiet and stayed back. He had intentionally neglected to mention the vampire having barely convinced the girl to meet Dean.

Dean walked over slowly, his head tilted in obvious curiosity of Cas's new acquaintance. Nia had her hood up and remained where she was, tucked behind Cas. She did withdraw the arrow from her bow, sliding it back into the quiver on her back but the angel knew she still had a tight grip on her scimitar and he halted Dean with a subtle hand gesture a few feet away.

The hunter frowned as his eyes fell on the small figure. "A kid?" he questioned. "You found a human kid in Purgatory?"

"I'm not a kid, asshole." Nia glared at him around Cas's shoulder.

Dean's eyes widened further in obvious surprise. "A _chick_?" A wide grin spread across his face. "Cas, you of all people managed to pick up a chick… _in_ _Purgatory_?" He chuckled, casting Benny a sheepish sideways glance exactly like he would have given Sam had he been here, clearly knowing he would be chastised for his next remark. "Maybe I am rubbing off on you after all," he smirked.

Cas huffed and stepped sideways, opening a more clear line of sight between the two humans. "Dean, this is Nia. Nia, this is Dean, my friend."

The two stared at each other for a moment, during which Cas was prepared to snatch the weapon from Nia's hand if she made a wrong move. He knew Dean would not hurt her but she had been here a lot longer than the hunter and as a result, was more distrustful and far more unpredictable.

"You should hide your stink," she told him flatly.

"_My_ stink?" Dean balked incredulously, sniffing the air and wrinkling his nose. "I'll admit, baths have been a little tricky to negotiate the past couple of months but that's the pot calling the kettle… no that's more like the freaking piece of charcoal calling the driven snow bla..."

"Dean," Cas chastised impatiently.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Speaking of baths," he mumbled, too quietly for Nia's ears to pick it up, though Cas heard him loud and clear. "How old are you?" Dean demanded, his tone softening as he studied Nia. "Seventeen? Eighteen?"

She pulled her hood off her head and scowled up at him. "I said I wasn't a kid."

"Nineteen?"

She glanced at Cas, her expression suddenly sheepish, maybe even a little shameful. "I'm not sure," she stammered.

Dean's expression instantly morphed into one of pity and Cas knew the hunter was wondering how long she had been here that she didn't even know her age.

"Twenty," she offered hesitantly. "And one with demon. A half, maybe, with Walker. One with Luthor. A half just me."

"Come again?"

"She believes she is twenty-three," Cas offered, easily following her estimated accounting of the time that had passed since she was possessed as a twenty-year-old.

Dean gave Cas a skeptical look. "You got that?"

Cas nodded. "We should leave this place," he suggested looking to Dean. "You have been here half the day. Creatures will know you are here."

"One of the perks of being a vamp," Benny spoke up for the first time, taking a few steps forward to join the group. "I can smell them coming just as good as they can smell u…"

He didn't get to finish before Nia was swinging her scimitar at his neck, catching even Cas off guard. Fortunately for Benny, she was intercepted by Dean, who knocked the weapon out of her hand and tried to grab her wrist.

"Don't touch me!" She spun and kicked him hard in the groin before bolting into the woods back the way she and Cas had come in.

Cas slumped his shoulders in exasperation and winged out to fetch her. In the distance he could hear Benny's soft Louisiana drawl chuckling between Dean's muffled groans of pain.

"Well, this is going to be interesting, brother. Quite the motley band of misfits."

**~X~X~X~X~**

_**A/N**__: Ok so far? Different? Interesting? Are Nia and Cas bonding? Lots of development to come, and plenty of action too. Please review :-)_


	4. Working Out the Kinks

_**Previously: **__ After being prayed to very persistently, Cas agrees to stay with Nia at night so she can sleep in safety. She starts to warm up to him then Dean finds Cas and the angel convinces Nia to join them to travel to the door. Their first meeting doesn't go well when Nia takes a swing at Benny and kicks Dean in the..._

**Chapter 4 – Working out the Kinks**

Castiel had every intention of finding a believable way of separating himself from Dean. He really did.

He would wait a few days, long enough for Nia to become accustomed to Dean and Benny so she would stay with them and let Dean take her back home through this door, then he would leave. That was his plan. But over the next few days, Cas noticed the weary lines on the hunter's face and the defeated look in his eyes had lifted slightly. Whether it was due to his new mission of getting them all home or just the simple matter of having others to fight for, his vigor seemed renewed. He didn't see the near hopelessness he had detected in Dean's nightly prayers.

It was clear that two and a half months of the bloody, violent struggle to keep breathing had taken its toll on his friend. Dean hadn't had much fight left in him when he had reached Purgatory in the first place and his mission to find Cas had been his fuel to keep going this far. He had lost everyone and everything he cared about with the exception of Sam and had barely been hanging on even before he had been rewarded for killing Dick Roman with a free ride to a land full of monsters who wanted to rip the flesh from his bones.

Even as the memory-challenged Emanuel, Cas had been able to see this. Even through his bout of insanity after taking on Sam's affliction, this had been clear. Cas had felt for his friend. He felt sympathy, felt worry, felt guilt. A lot of guilt - for this was all his fault. His stupidity, his ignorance, and his astounding arrogance had brought the Leviathan to the world and fixing Cas's mistake had cost Dean dearly.

And now he didn't want the price on his head to cost Dean his life. He knew he should leave before he led the Leviathan right to Dean – and to Nia – but the Winchesters had always been stubborn and… compelling. Every time Dean would lift an eyebrow and give him that small sideways smile in greeting as he approached, Cas felt his friend's forgiveness sweep through him. In the times they walked side by side, the ease of their past friendship re-emerged and Cas would find himself forgetting about the Leviathan and his multitude of sins for a few brief, blissful moments.

Then there was Nia. Despite the majority of the hours they had spent together having passed in silence, Castiel knew he would miss her company also. She seemed to have formed a peculiar attachment to him in the past three weeks and he could tell she was reluctant to extend Dean and Benny the same courtesy. He felt a genuine affection for her also, one he hadn't expected and one he felt completely unworthy of, but one he found pleasing.

She was quiet and kept her distance during the day as they traveled, walking twenty yards behind the rest of them or off to the side, eyeing Dean and Benny – mostly Benny – with unease and suspicion. On occasion she would move up and walk next to Cas for a while, sticking close to him and keeping his bulk between her and the others.

The first time he felt Leviathan approaching and had to wing out suddenly, he returned to find Dean and Benny scouring the area, their faces expressing both worry and frustration.

"Cas!" Dean cried in relief when he appeared next to the hunter. "She took off!" He threw his hands up in exasperation. "You disappeared then she just freaking bolted. _Again_!"

Cas knew Dean's annoyance was more worry than anything else. Even though Nia had not yet made any effort to talk to the hunter past their introductory 'you stink', she was human and Dean would do anything to protect her regardless.

"She will come back," Cas assured him. If she didn't, he would go retrieve her but he thought it better to let her return of her own accord.

"She's out there on her own." Dean didn't look appeased.

"Somethin' tells me that little bit can look out for herself," said Benny.

Dean eyed the surrounding trees restlessly before turning back to the angel. Cas nodded in reassurance, agreeing with Benny's observation. Only then did Dean's shoulders relax a little.

"What's with her?" Dean asked, taking advantage of the opportunity to freely discuss their strange traveling companion. "I mean, she's kinda… you know, two cans short of a six-pack. Got the whole Mowgli vibe goin' on."

"She has been through a lot," Cas replied simply.

"About that, exactly how long has she been here?"

"Two years, one month, and twelve days. Then there was the year she was possessed by one of Crowley's demons before that."

Dean's eyes widened in shock. "Are you telling me a ninety pound girl survived two years of _this_? Alone?"

Cas was about to correct Dean's inaccurate value of Nia's weight but bit his tongue. "Not exactly. From what I can gather, she spent her first six months in Purgatory as the prisoner of a lone vampire then the next year as the prisoner of a large nest of vampires. She only escaped perhaps six or seven months ago."

Dean took a second to absorb the information. "Shit Cas," he breathed. "I've barely survived two months… and I wouldn't have without Benny having my back."

"She is resilient."

"That's an understatement," Benny chimed in, looking genuinely sympathetic.

"So how'd she land herself in Purgatory?" Dean asked.

Cas frowned, remembering how he had suggested to Crowley that they test their gate.

"I sent her here," he said flatly.

He didn't miss the appalled look that crossed Dean's face so he turned and walked quickly away before the hunter could press the issue.

**~X~X~X~X~**

Nia did return, just as Cas thought she would, right before nightfall. He explained the reason for his sudden departure to her, warning that it would happen again and that she needed to stick with Dean until he returned.

"Yeah, Nia, I'm human just like you," Dean said gently. "I'm not gonna hurt you… or eat you. We're going to find this door and go home together, okay?"

He came to stand as close as a few feet away, just out of her kicking range. Cas noticed his hand hovering a little nervously in front of his groin. "Do you believe me?" Dean pressed.

Nia stared at him for a long time and after glancing to Cas for reassurance, finally nodded. Dean seemed pleased with his progress and gestured to Benny. "He's not gonna hurt you either," he defended.

She narrowed her eyes. "He'll trade you in. Or kill you in your sleep. Drink your blood and..."

"Come on now, little bit," Benny urged calmly. "I ain't like most vampires. I ain't like Luthor."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Who's Luthor?"

"Luthor's the reason every vamp we come across knows my name and tries to take my head off," Benny explained, addressing Dean. He looked back at Nia. "He ain't no friend of mine, I can promise you that."

She sneered. "Still a vampire."

Cas hadn't decided yet how he felt about Benny. He had seen or heard nothing that would indicate the vampire's motives were not pure. Even if the camaraderie was being faked, it made sense he would do his best to keep Dean alive anyway so he could 'hitch a ride' back topside. But as far as Cas could tell, the friendship between the pair seemed genuine. He wasn't sure he liked the feeling that evoked in him, an unfamiliar and very un-angelic sentiment he believed to be jealousy, so he kept any lingering reservations to himself.

Dean decided they should get moving and as they headed out along the narrow path, Nia tucked in behind Cas. The next time the angel popped out to lead the Leviathan away, he returned to find her still with the others, walking thirty feet behind Dean while Benny led the way.

At nights she remained much closer, curling up on the ground right next to Cas, as had become their routine before joining Dean and Benny. Their first night as a group, Dean assigned Cas the first watch and the angel couldn't help but smile as the hunter stretched out on his back in the shelter of a protruding tree root and closed his eyes.

"What's so funny?" Dean groused, opening one lid to peer at his friend.

"I thought you didn't like it when I watched you sleep."

Dean rolled his eyes. "You're keeping watch, dude. There's a difference. Watching me sleep is still creepy."

"I like it when he watches," Nia defended.

"Hear that, Cas?" the hunter chuckled. Cas noticed the whites of Dean's teeth glinting in the near-darkness and knew he was now being made fun of or teased for something, though he wasn't sure what. "Ain't that sweet."

"It's safe," Nia added more quietly. Dean's smile disappeared and he sighed into the darkness, not saying anything more.

They were all up and moving shortly after dawn, Dean and Nia munching on their fruit as they walked. Cas overheard a few mumbled comments between the two men ahead about being sure to walk upwind from Nia, who was still keeping her clothes dirty and smeared with foul-smelling plants and animal scat in order to mask her human smell. He too found it repugnant but was obviously able to ignore it far easier than Benny and Dean. He considered pointing out to her that with Dean so close by, there was no point in masking her own humanity, but decided not to push.

It was their third night together and they settled near the bank of the creek about fifty miles downstream from where Dean had found Cas. There was about an hour of daylight left before Purgatory's abrupt nightfall would be upon them and Nia had gone off by herself with her bow drawn.

"Dude, shouldn't you have gone with her?" Dean questioned Cas, eyeing the surrounding forest anxiously. "I can get food. She doesn't have to hunt. Not by herself anyway."

"She is quite capable," Cas assured him. He was fairly confident by now that Nia would call him if she ran into anything she couldn't handle.

"I'm not arguing that but…" Dean frowned.

Cas understood it was Dean's nature to be protective so it did not surprise him the hunter had quickly become so where Nia was concerned. The girl was younger, smaller, and female and without Sam around, a prime candidate to fulfill the big brother's need to protect _someone_. Dean's measure of self-worth had always been based on what he perceived his value to others to be.

Nia returned less than half an hour later, grinning widely as she held a small animal the size of a rabbit to Dean with an outstretched arm. He took it from her with a look of polite disgust and she took a quick step back from him.

"Uhhh, you know we can't light a fire, right?" he said, pointing upwards. "Dragons'll see us."

"Fire?" she questioned, her expression alarmed. "What for?"

"To cook this," he grimaced at the pungent animal dangling from his fist. "Whatever the Hell this is."

"Can't cook in Purgatory."

"No, I know that," Dean said. "That's what I'm saying."

She just stared at him. "Don't cook it."

"I don't plan on cooking it, sweetheart." Dean's exasperation was evident in his voice. "But what am I supposed to do with it?"

"Eat it." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Raw? Are you crazy? I'm not a vampire. Us humans can't eat raw meat."

"Actually, that's a Hakredin," Benny interjected. "Native to Purgatory. Salty but no germs or beasties. It won't hurt ya."

Dean gave him an incredulous look. "I've been eating fruit and those disgusting eel-things for weeks and you're just telling me now that I got more options?"

Benny shrugged, reaching forward and taking the dead animal from Dean. "They taste like dead ass." He pulled out a knife to skin it. "Besides, they move like lightnin'. I ain't never been able to kill one before."

Nia grinned. "I'm fast."

"It helps that your scent is so foul the Hakredin don't smell you coming," Cas pointed out.

Her smile disappeared and her face fell, hurt filling her amber eyes. Dean winced when he noticed it. "Uh, Nia, he didn't mean…"

But she was gone, turning and trotting quickly into the woods behind them.

Dean gave Cas an disbelieving look. "Dude," he chastised. "That was mean."

"It was not intended as such," Cas defended honestly. He had meant it as a compliment. Disguising her scent was smart. The unpleasant smell was a small price to pay for moving almost undetected in a land teeming with predators. Dean would be wise to follow suit but the hunter had refused.

While she was gone, Benny sliced Nia's hunting spoils into thin slivers of meat, handing some to Dean and setting some aside for the girl. Dean was extremely vocal about how much he disliked the taste but Cas watched as the hunter ate every single piece, finishing with a sighed mumble about a man needing his red meat and something indecipherable about cheese.

With only fifteen minutes left until dark, Nia prayed.

"_Castiel."_

He winged instantly to find her standing on the bank of the creek, a couple of hundred yards from the camp. "Nia."

"Cas," she said slowly, sounding out the name. "Your human calls you Cas."

Cas nodded. "I am to understand it is a term of endearment."

She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Can I call you Cas?"

"I would like that very much." He looked around, not seeing any signs of danger. "Is that why you called me here?"

She shook her head. "I need to go in the river."

He frowned. "That is not wise. There are many dangerous creatures beneath the waters. You will not see them coming."

"Can you keep them away for me?"

The river was wide and fast-flowing at this point but the bank on which they stood followed the curve of a small eddy, a shallow haven of calm water. He nodded. "I can."

With that he promptly waded out to the mouth of the eddy, where the water was just past his knees. He turned around and gave her a questioning look.

"Will this suffice? I can keep the eddy free of harmful things." He was curious what she needed in the water.

She nodded and shrugged out of her bulky jacket, dropping it on the pebbles at her feet to reveal an equally dirty, colorless tank top beneath. She lifted one foot at a time to remove her boots then looked back at him, standing there in her bare feet.

After a long moment during which she never moved, he arched a questioning eyebrow. "It is safe," he assured her. "No creatures nearby."

"C-Can you look away?" she asked hesitantly.

A sudden flush came over him as he realized she wanted to undress to get in the water. "Oh, uh, yes," he stammered, turning quickly, the hem of his trench coat swirling in the current.

He stood stiffly, searching the dark water around them with all of his senses and making an extra effort to remain facing away from her. He could hear small splashes behind him as she did whatever she was doing.

Then he saw it, a barely perceptible outline moving beneath the water, one that would never have been caught by a human eye. It was a small Jormungandr headed right for Nia. They were serpents that had been extinct on earth for tens of thousands of years so it had been a long time since Cas had seen one, but he remembered them vividly. They were vicious and extremely fast , though still no match for the angel.

He flashed over to where it swam, plunged a fist into the water and wrapped his fingers around its narrow neck. He rose up with it in his hand and tore it in two, tossing each piece in opposite directions, so far and so fast Nia would never see nor hear them land. He twirled to flash back to the spot where he had been standing guard, knowing he had moved so quickly she would never even know he had budged.

It was only for a fraction of a heartbeat that his eyes absently drifted her way but that was long enough for an angel to see everything - every detail he wasn't supposed to be seeing. She sat in the shallow water with her legs folded under her, sitting back on her heels... _completely naked_. Her arms were lifted, fingers threading through her long hair, trying to pull through the multitude of knots. She had a small frame, as he knew despite the baggy clothes she always wore, but he was surprised at how delicate she looked like this, how feminine and curvy and how... positively exquisite. The last rays of Purgatory's sun gleamed off her smooth, wet skin, her hair falling around her shoulders in thick, inky strands.

He flashed back to his spot at the mouth of the eddy, stumbling just a little with the distraction. He heard her gasp and knew she was looking at him but he kept his back turned, pretending he had never moved.

"Still safe?" she questioned, sounding nervous.

He nodded stiffly. "No, er, yes. Yes. No creatures in the water."

She spent another minute or so splashing in the river behind him before he heard her footsteps move up the pebbled beach. He remained as he was until she called his name.

He turned around to find her standing on the beach fully dressed, wearing the same dirty trousers and ripped, foul-smelling jacket as before, but her face was clean and her hair was long and straight, hanging wet down her back. She was barely recognizable. With olive skin and high cheekbones, she looked much more her age than she had with layers of dirt hiding everything but her eyes. She looked gentle, nothing at all like the fierce, dirty thing that had rammed her scimitar through the neck of a Djinn earlier today with a primal shriek.

She was giving him a timid smile. "Better?" she asked hesitantly.

He nodded. "You look quite lovely," he told her, remembering how Emanuel's wife Daphne would always smile when he used that compliment. 'Hot' would have been his second choice since it never failed to get a smiled reaction when Dean used it to flatter a woman, but Cas suspected it wasn't quite as fitting for this situation as 'lovely'.

"We should get back to the others," he suggested. "It is almost dark."

She simply nodded and scooped up her bow and her blade before marching off into the trees towards their camp. Cas fell in behind her, still feeling a flush of uncomfortably-high temperature in his cheeks.

Dean and Benny were on their feet with their weapons in hand when Cas and Nia emerged from the woods into the little clearing they had chosen for a camp. Their shoulders relaxed when recognition hit but Dean's eyes widened when he took in the sight of Nia.

"You're clean!" he exclaimed.

She shrugged, hovering next to Cas. "They smell you, they smell me."

"She had a bath in the river," Cas explained unnecessarily.

Dean was still staring at Nia in disbelief. "Wow, you really are a girl after all." He smirked suddenly, waggling his eyebrows at her. "A hot one, too."

Nia didn't reply and the hunter looked over to Cas with a teasing grin on his face. "Dude, you totally snuck a peak, didn't you? You scoundrel."

"I assure you, I did not," Cas denied quickly. He could feel how tense Nia was, standing so close that she was brushing against his coat, and he wasn't sure if it was Dean's scrutiny making her uncomfortable or the implication that the angel had betrayed her trust. It occurred to him that he badly wanted to keep that intact, that her strange and unexpected trust in him meant a lot whether as part of his quest for redemption or of his personal sentiment.

Dean must have picked up on Nia's nervousness too for the cheeky grin on his face softened to a kind smile. "You look nice, Nia," he said politely. "And thank-you for dinner. It was delicious."

Benny snorted quietly from where he stood fifteen feet away, watching the exchange from a distance as usual. Dean gave him a warning glare but the vampire tactfully didn't divulge what Dean had really said of the meal.

Nia relaxed, going so far as to give Dean a smile before she moved over to sit on the tree stump near the edge of the camp, bringing her knees up to her chest and once again tackling the tangled mess that was her hair.

Darkness was upon them and the group got ready for their nightly shifts. Dean scuffed out a smooth spot in the dirt with his boot while Cas took up his post at the edge of the clearing.

Although Cas needed no sleep, Dean and Benny still took turns on watch just in case the angel had to leave suddenly. Leviathan didn't attack at night but many other creatures did and since Cas could sense them before they picked up on the scent of the two humans, he would often wing out to intercept them at a distance. Nia had offered to take her turn on watch also but Benny wasn't willing to close his eyes with her around. Cas believed that to be a wise precaution.

He watched the vampire now as Benny buried the scraps of the Hakredin that Nia had killed. It occurred to him the girl hadn't eaten yet, This must have occurred to Benny at the same time because the vampire was currently carrying her portion of the shaved meat over to her on a large leaf serving as a plate.

It dawned on Cas too slowly that the friendly gesture was a bad idea. Nia was still pulling and tugging at her hair, distracted as Benny reached out and gently touched her shoulder.

She reacted quickly and violently, jerking away from the vampire's outstretched hand and sweeping her scimitar backwards in a smooth arc. Benny arched back to evade the steel blade and took a few quick steps backwards, raising his hands in the air.

"Calm down, calm down," he said soothingly in his soft, Louisiana drawl. Nia was standing now, weapon braced in front of her. Benny pointed to the meat that had dropped at her feet. "I was just bringing you some food."

"She doesn't like to be touched," Cas explained.

Benny nodded in apparent understanding. "At least not by a vampire, right?" He questioned, increasing the distance between them a little further. "My apologies, Little Bit. It won't happen again."

Cas was grudgingly impressed with the vampire. He certainly knew how to keep calm and his compassion was genuine. He didn't disguise his displeasure at having Cas 'the monster magnet' join the little group, but he was no longer overtly antagonistic towards the angel and he didn't appear to hold a grudge against Nia even though it was clear she would hack his head off given half a chance.

When she just kept glaring at him from her defensive stance, Benny finally shook his head and sighed as he retreated back over towards Dean.

Dean laughed at his friend's predicament. "Baby steps, dude. Baby steps. She'll get there."

**~X~X~X~X~**

It was late the next afternoon when things took a turn for the worse. The motley group was trudging through a seemingly endless swampy area, everyone but Cas irritable and foul-tempered. The angel knew well enough to keep his musings and observations of the fascinating aspects of the swamp life to himself as recounting these facts only seemed to irritate the humans and the vampire further. Nia remained quiet but walked with a scowl on her face where as Dean griped out loud constantly. Even the ever-cool Benny was snapping and complaining, his usual whistling having stopped some hours earlier.

Cas was just about to warn Nia behind him of a particularly deep mud hole in her path when he felt them - Leviathan had locked on to him. He winged out instantly and spent the next three hours dodging them and fighting them, narrowly escaping on several instances and taking a few hard blows on others. He finally managed to flee far enough and fast enough to shake them off his trail. He hunkered down in a safe place to wait a few hours before returning to Dean and Nia, just to be sure.

Only fifteen minutes passed before he heard the prayer.

_"Cas!" _It was Nia's voice, full of fear, panic, and pain.

He winged back to his friends immediately, appearing ankle deep in mud amid utter chaos. There were dozens of creatures around, children by their size, all screeching and howling and clambering over each other.

No, not over each other, Cas realized. They were clawing and crowding his friends. "Dean!" he cried, rushing forward to the closest pile of writhing bodies. He grabbed the creature on the top by the back of the neck and tossed it backwards, not bothering to look where he was throwing him. He reached for the next and the next and continued pulling them off the hunter and throwing them. He could hear Dean grunting and gasping somewhere under the mass of bodies and a blade jabbed up through the back of one of them. It rolled sideways to reveal the hunter, dirty and bloody and fighting for his life.

"Cas," Dean choked, still swinging his blade frantically above him, a feat more easily done now with less bodies in the way.

Cas pulled the last few off, noting they were already dead. Probably the reason Dean was still breathing, he surmised. The layer of slain creatures between the hunter and the live ones clawing at him had kept him from being eaten alive before Cas could get to him.

He identified them as changelings. Changelings could take the shapeof any human child, their true form being of similar stature but with hollowed out faces and a circular spiral of pointed teeth in their enlarged mouths. They lived in hives, consisting of the worker changelings and one mother changeling. This must be a huge hive for the swamp was practically vibrating with the hundred shrill voices in the air.

Knowing Dean was hurt but seeing that he was at least out of immediate danger, Cas stood up and looked around sharply. He saw Benny in the distance struggling against another swarm of the half-size, humanoid creatures but ignored the vampire's plight, searching out Nia instead. When she was safe, he would help Benny - Cas he felt no guilt for putting the human first. A scream called his attention upwards and he spun around to see Nia high in a tree, a dozen of the creatures clawing their way up the trunk and branches.

He could hear coughing from the hunter on the ground behind him as he sprinted away towards the tree. He grabbed the first two changelings he came to at the base of the trunk and tossed them aside but looking up he saw that there were fourteen more within the tree's branches. Nia had scrambled to the outer end of a branch that was bending precariously under her weight but the only weapon she held was a small four inch knife and there were several creatures closing in on her.

He could see new blood soaking her shredded jacket and on her face and hands and she was trembling as she tried to cling to the branch and hold her knife before her at the same time.

"Ni-a!"

The name came out in a sputtering cough from Dean, who was stumbling his way towards the tree. "Oh crap! Benny!" Dean choked, clearly noticing his friend's predicament also. "Shit!"

"I will help Nia," Cas offered quickly, allowing Dean to go help his vampire friend. Dean nodded and tightened his grip on his makeshift weapon before staggering over towards the pile of howling creatures who had just managed to pull Benny under.

Cas moved over so he was directly beneath Nia, hurling a few creatures out of his way as he went. "Nia!" He looked up. "Jump. I will catch you."

She peered down at him and he frowned at the terror he saw in her eyes. She whimpered and looked back at the closest creature, lashing out at it with her knife. It launched itself at her, sinking its teeth into her forearm as it knocked them both off the branch. Cas punched the changeling as it passed him on its way to the ground and moved both arms in between it and the falling human. He managed to catch her and absorb the impact of the thirty-foot fall despite her flailing limbs.

She struggled in his arms for a second before her fists wrapped in his coat and she fell still, panting heavily. She twisted in his hold to face him and her eyes locked on his for a moment, still wide with confusion and fear. Finally she collected herself and squirmed her way free, pushing at him until her feet were on the ground and she could step away quickly. She stood panting and swaying and he could tell she was in bad shape but the changelings in the tree started dropping to the ground in pursuit of their escaped prey and he spun to begin killing them.

He was throwing them and smiting them and kicking them to the ground left, right, and center but they just kept coming. Amid the launched attacks, he moved toward where Dean and Benny were standing back to back swinging frantically and sending heads flying in every direction. He yanked Nia in close behind him as he moved, keeping her shielded from three sides so she could fight them one or two at a time as they came at her from behind the pair.

They had killed dozens but there were still so many coming at them. After a long, hard day fighting Leviathan, Cas knew he did not have enough strength to keep them all at bay and his human charges would not last much longer. The changeling bites were not poisonous but the creatures sucked a certain fluid that would weaken the humans and both Dean and Nia were sporting several obvious bites.

He needed to kill the mother. He used his angel senses to search the surrounding swamp and found her hovering a hundred feet away.

"Dean," he alerted, giving the skilled hunter just a second's notice before shoving Nia forward so she was standing next to him.

Dean caught his eye and nodded, stepping forward to bring the girl into the huddle, positioned just slightly behind him. "I got her," he said briskly.

Cas winged out and appeared next to the mother, placing a hand on her forehead and calling on what little power he had left at this point. She screamed and lights exploded behind her hollowed-out cheeks before she fell to the ground, dead.

The swamp instantly fell silent, the shrill buzz of fifty hungry monsters stopping abruptly. Cas flashed back to his friends and watched with them as the changelings started scurrying away in every direction, confused and panicked.

When the last one had disappeared into the surrounding vegetation, Dean let out a loud, pained groan and leaned forward to rest his hands on his knees. All but Cas were panting heavily and all three were covered in mud and blood.

"Everyone alright?" Benny asked.

At the spoken question, it seemed to just dawn on Nia that she was standing right next to the vampire and she quickly scampered a few feet away. She turned back towards them, scowling and narrowing her eyes directly at Dean.

"This is Purgatory! Don't think, just kill!"

**~X~X~X~X~**

Cas was sharing the first watch-shift with Dean, sitting side by side at the mouth of a cave they had appropriated from a now-deceased Rugaru near dusk. Dean had barely managed to make it to the edge of the swamp without passing out from his numerous bite wounds and was still cleaning and bandaging the worst of them now. His left thigh had been torn and bleeding profusely. Nia had insisted she was fine and could take care of herself then had passed out shortly after crawling into the cave. None of the men thought it a wise idea to check her person for untended bites so they just took her word for it. She hadn't lived this long alone by neglecting wounds that needed cleaning.

Dean let out a long, weary sigh, resting his chin on his knees. "I almost got everyone killed today," he blurted.

Cas lifted a questioning eyebrow.

"It came up to me looking like a little kid. I hesitated. Dumb ass move, I know but..."

"You are compassionate, Dean. That is not a flaw."

"It is here."

Cas didn't argue that valid point.

"Nia kept saying to kill it but it was a little boy and it was crying and I thought, well you already found one human here and..." he shook his head. "It was stupid. It distracted me and then suddenly there was a hundred of them."

"That is what Nia meant when she said 'Don't think, just kill'." Cas observed.

Dean nodded. "You know, at one point, she came at me with that blade of hers swinging and... damn, I wasn't sure if she was coming after me or the changeling. I mean, I gotta admit, she kinda creeps me out sometimes."

Cas frowned. "She is a good person, Dean."

"I get that. But one minute she's this sweet little thing then..." He curled his hands into claws in the air and pantomimed a wild animal attacking. "Raaarr."

"It is hard for her to be sure you will not harm her," Cas defended.

"I know but shit, Cas, I thought _**I**_ had trust issues."

Benny emerged from the surrounding trees, announcing his arrival as usual with a low whistle. He tossed Dean a yellow piece of fruit. "Here you go, brother. That ought to keep you in the land of the living 'til morning."

"Thanks, man," said Dean, taking a big bite. It occurred to Cas that Benny had not needed asked to search out food for Dean while the hunter had an injured leg; he had volunteered.

"Got this for Nia," the vampire said, taking a seat on the ground next to Dean and handing him a bundle of cloth.

Dean opened it up to reveal a dark jacket, in very good shape and small enough to fit the petite girl quite well. It was thick and warm and had plenty of pockets.

"Got it off one of the stray changelings," Benny shrugged.

Dean grinned and elbowed his friend in jest. "You think this'll get you off her hit list?"

Benny snorted in response. "Not likely."

Dean's mirth didn't last long. Apparently he wasn't done blaming himself yet.

"She almost got killed today," he said, his voice low.

"So did you," Benny pointed out. "So did I; thanks for noticing."

"That's different," Dean shook his head. "She's..."

"A girl?" Benny cut in.

Dean was still frowning. "Not just that. She's so young. I mean, she's barely more than a kid."

Benny snorted again. "For starters, you've been a hell of a lot friendlier with a hell of a lot younger by the stories you tell. Besides, I assure you, any piece if childhood Nia still had got ripped out the moment she got thrown in Purgatory. What she's been through... there ain't no childhood innocence left, brother."

Dean didn't look convinced.

Benny kept talking. "Don't let the sweet smile and the fact that she could fit in your pocket fool you. First time we met her, she'd have slit your throat as soon as look at you if Angel Cakes here hadn't vouched for you." Benny gestured over at Cas, who was still sitting quietly on Dean's other side. "She'll still take any chance she gets to separate my head from my neck," he stated matter-of-factly. "But it ain't her fault. Her time here ain't been easy."

"Ditto on that one," Dean scoffed.

"Not exactly the same kind of easy." Benny paused and gave Dean a curious look. "What do you think went on for the year she was with Luthor?"

Cas glanced at the hunter's face and saw the shock and horror that surfaced when realization took hold.

"They fed from her," Dean breathed, his voice husky and almost pleading for that to be the whole truth.

Benny nodded. "Yeah, yeah they did. But she was the entertainment, Dean. Their sport. Their fun. Vampires find fun in exactly three ways. Killing, feeding, and..." He tactfully didn't finish the sentence. "I actually tried to steal her about a year ago," he admitted. "Figured I'd use her to get through the door. Turns out Luthor was quite attached to his little plaything. I mean, a human in Purgatory's quite the prize. Bragging rights an' all."

"That is the reason you have a price on your head," Cas stated.

Benny nodded. "And the reason every vamp in Purgatory wants the same thing little Nia wants; my ugly-mug on a pigpole."

They were all silent for a few minutes before Dean spoke. "Well, I'm gonna find that portal and get her out of here if it's the last thing I do."

Benny chuckled. "Know what I think? I think the big brother thing's so ingrained in you it's part of your make-up and you just can't help yourself. And I think you're missing that little brother of yours something fierce."

Cas was surprised at how well Benny seemed to know Dean and decided the vampire was indeed legitimate. It was strange for a vampire to have more to them than the violence and the killing and sadistic tendencies, never mind for them to exhibit real human traits such as compassion and sympathy. Watching Dean and Benny together and seeing how understanding Benny was with Nia, however, convinced him the vampire was genuine.

Another quick pang of jealousy passed through him. Cas shared a bond with Dean but things had always been so complicated between them. Outside forces had pitted them on conflicting sides more than once and it had challenged and strained their friendship many times even before the angel had made the biggest of all mistakes and betrayed his loyal friend.

He was determined to do right by Dean this time round. He would not let him down again. And he would not let Nia down.

Yes, Castiel had every intention of finding a believable way of separating himself from Dean. He really did. But Dean and Nia would have been dead today had the angel not been there. Maybe he would stick around a little longer... just to keep them safe.

**~X~X~X~X~**

_**A/N:**__ I know there wasn't a lot of action in that chapter while the gang makes their adjustments but I assure you, things heat up next chapter when Cas finds himself feeling Dean's wrath. Please review, I'll love you for it, good or bad._


	5. The Wrath of Khan?

_**Previously: **__ Nia joins the group. She sticks close to Cas and finally washes the muck off. Benny tells Dean what happened to her as a prisoner of Luthor (the vampire) for a year and even though he's still wary of her, Dean naturally becomes protective, determined to get her to the door with Benny and Cas. While Cas is away running from the Leviathan, the group gets attacked by a hive of changelings and Cas realizes that if he hadn't come back to rescue them, they would all be dead._

_**A/N:**__ Thank-you to those who have alerted, fave'd, and reviewed this story. This is something different for me so it means a lot :-) I'm hoping I am doing Cas justice._

**Chapter 5 – The Wrath of… Khan?**

Dean's injured leg slowed down the group's progress over the next two days but nobody complained except the hunter himself. Benny had only come across partial information about this elusive 'door' so he was only aware of the general area where it was located, which happened to be hundreds of miles away. It was going to take them months to get there so a slow couple of days weren't going to make much difference. But as Dean kept pointing out, that was two more days that Sam was alone with whatever was left of the Leviathan ranks and two more days his little brother had to perhaps do something stupid in an attempt to rescue him. After everything they had been through, he was sure Sam was trying.

The only other thing Benny knew about the door was that it would not appear unless a human was present. Dean kept insisting Cas would make it through because Jimmy Novak, although technically dead and completely dormant within his own body, was a human and his soul was still in there.

Cas had no intention of going through the door whether or not Jimmy could gain him access, but he kept that truth to himself. Dean needed to believe in something to get him through the hard months ahead and once he was home, he would have Sam to distract him from the grief of losing his angel friend again. At least this is what Cas kept telling himself. He had a penance to pay. An eternity here, being relentlessly hunted and hated, was far more than he deserved.

Nia repeatedly voiced her opinion that the door wasn't real, so the drive to reach it was limited to Dean and Benny.

Despite the pain his leg was in, Dean was still in good spirits. It seemed the relief of finding Cas after two and a half months of searching was still affecting him. Cas knew they had a long, hard journey ahead of them and it was unlikely they would all make it alive, but it pleased him to see a little hope in his friend, even if it was to be short-lived.

Nia on the other hand was quiet, quieter even than usual and by the end of the second day after the changeling attack, Cas noticed she was walking even slower than Dean. He peered down at her with a frown, discerning her temperature was abnormally high and her breathing shallow. They chose a clearing to camp for the night and she sank down at the base of a tree without a word, hugging her bent knees. When Cas brought her fruit and she refused it with a weary shake of her head, he voiced his concern.

"What is wrong?" he questioned, standing over her.

"Nothing," she said quickly.

"Your temperature is elevated and your pulse is twenty-two percent faster than it usually is with your current the level of exertion," he accused.

She blinked up at him, looking both bewildered and annoyed. "How do you...? Nothing is wrong."

The angel could see Dean and Benny watching them from across the clearing. "Then why..."

"I take care of myself," she snapped, rising to her feet and storming out of the clearing into the trees.

"Dude," Dean chuckled, shaking his head.

"I am merely concerned," Cas explained. "Her temperature..."

"Yeah, I heard ya the first time," Dean cut him off with a laugh. "She's a chick." The hunter gave Cas a look that Cas was sure was supposed to be hinting at a some obvious explanation but he had no idea what that could be.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Don't they have anatomy class upstairs? She's a _chick_," he repeated. "Could be... ya know... that time of month?"

Cas frowned, knowing Dean was referring to a human female's menstrual cycle but not believing that to be the problem. He decided, however, to let the subject drop.

"Did she go hunting?" Dean wondered aloud, sounding eager. "Think she'll bring one of those Hakredin things?"

"Thought it tasted like cow dung," Benny snorted.

"It does, but I need my iron and bacon cheeseburgers aren't exactly on the menu."

Cas still wore a frown. "She did not take her bow," he observed, seeing the weapon lying in the grass by the tree. Nia _always_ took her bow with her.

Fruit was plentiful in this part of the forest and Benny ate with Dean. They had just finished their supper when the fast-approaching darkness swallowed the camp. Nia returned a few minutes later, not saying a word as she simply walked over to where Cas sat and curled up on the ground next to him.

She was restless that night, shifting and quivering in her sleep. Except for the few minutes he spent killing a rogue Gogmagog pack that had ventured uncomfortably close to his human friends, Cas never left her side.

At the break of dawn, Dean was up and sitting quietly on the other side of the angel. When a whimper escaped Nia, the hunter's expression grew concerned. "She awake?" he asked quietly.

Cas shook his head. "No." He let his hand hover above her cheek. "She is feverish." He tilted his head and gave Dean a pointed stare. "And it is not simply a rise in her basal body temperature due to the ovulation phase of her menstrual cycle…"

"Ew, dude. Guys don't talk about that shit, okay?" His face grew serious. "You thinkin' one of the bites from the changelings got infected?"

"That would seem probable."

Dean's mouth drew into a tight line. "How we gonna check it out? We can't just leave it but she's not exactly gonna let any of us near her."

Cas had lowered his hand and it was now resting gently on her shoulder. Dean raised an eyebrow when he noticed it. "Well, not me or Benny anyway," he added.

Cas considered simply making the girl sleep with his angel ability so they could check her wound but decided that would break her trust in him and crush what little headway she had made so far with Dean and Benny.

Nia chose that moment to blink her eyes open. She looked up at Cas with a glazed look but when her gaze drifted past him to Dean, she gasped and sat up quickly. There was a sheen of sweat on her forehead and Cas saw her wince in pain as she moved.

"Nia," he said somberly. "Are the bites you received from the changelings healing well?"

She gave him a long stare and her mouth opened as if to speak but she stopped and clamped it shut without saying anything. Finally she just nodded, pulling up her left sleeve to show a clean, scabbed-over circular bite mark on her wrist.

Cas frowned. "And the others?"

She bit her lower lip, looking unsure. "One on my back. Hard to reach."

Dean leaned forward on his knees to peer at her past the angel. "You're gonna hafta let someone take a look," he said softly.

She narrowed her eyes. "Stay away from me."

"Not me." The hunter raised his hands. "I'm not that brave, trust me. But how 'bout Cas?"

She was still scowling. Cas remained silent between the two, watching with interest. Nia still had no love for Benny but she was tolerating Dean.

"If it's infected, it'll just get worse," Dean pressed. "You can die."

"I know that," she snapped. "But…"

"She doesn't like to be touched," Cas told Dean. "I believe the reason to be on account of her past trauma with the vampire Luthor."

Dean gave him a look that even Cas deciphered as 'shut-up' so he stopped talking quickly.

"Cas is an angel," Dean said slowly. "They're… uhh… celestial. You know, holy and, uh, pure and all that crap. No needs or urges… He can help you out and not…uh…" He turned to Cas and lowered his voice. "You gonna help me out here?"

Cas had no idea where Dean was going with his point so he took his own approach. "Nia, you need to clean the wound and put the salve on it or it will fester," he said bluntly. The salve was a concoction Benny had supplied, made from various plants and roots in the forest. The monster souls here may not age but they did bleed and without human blood around to heal them, even vampire wounds needed tended to.

She tensed and hugged her knees tighter. "I did. I'm good."

Dean sighed in obvious frustration. "You got no healing mojo at all?" he asked Cas for the fourth time since they had reunited.

Cas shook his head. "I need a direct link to Heaven to manipulate the molecular…"

"So that's a no," Dean interrupted his explanation. The hunter looked thoughtfully at Nia for a long minute before shaking his head and getting to his feet. He squeezed Cas's shoulder. "You're up, dude." He dropped his water pouch in the angel's lap and moved over to the other side of the clearing where Benny was sitting watching them all in silence. "C'mon Benny," he said. "Let's go for a walk."

Benny rose obediently, digging in his pocket as he did so. "Hey Hot Wings," he called before tossing a small bag to the angel, who caught it easily. "That'll help with an infection."

When they were out of sight, Cas looked back to Nia. "Will you let me see the infected wound?" he asked bluntly. "Perhaps I can help."

She looked conflicted.

"Do you trust me?" he pressed.

Her expression turned thoughtful then she nodded.

"Then will you let me see the wound? I do not want you to die or become ill."

"Okay," she whispered, shrugging gingerly out of the jacket Benny had acquired for her. She was sitting on the ground with her knees bent before her and she spun so her back was to Cas.

Cas knew enough to go slowly. He could see she was scared for her body was trembling as he gently pulled up the tank top she wore, exposing the skin of her back. He noticed several long-healed scars but paid them no heed. The changeling bite was high, right up between her shoulder blades. He could feel the heat radiating off the area, which was red and raised, with yellow ooze seeping out of it. Angry red lines ran out in every direction and there was a pungent odor, all definite signs of infection.

Wishing again he could heal her with a simple touch, he grimaced and asked her to hold her tank top up. She reached over her shoulder to grab the hem, keeping her knees bent and her other arm firmly holding down the front of her top. The hand fisting the cloth on her shoulder was shaking and her entire body was tense. Cas tried to think what Dean would say to make her feel more comfortable but could think of nothing so he remained silent.

He touched the skin around the wound carefully, noting it was swollen also. He moved his fingers up to her neck, prodding gently to check for swelling in the lymph nodes. She flinched and tensed even more but remained silent. She had a great deal of scarring on her neck that Cas had never noticed before, scars he surmised were from her time in vampire captivity.

He began to wash the wound gently, apologizing every time she jerked or twitched in pain. Her skin was hot to touch from fever and he grew worried. Humans were frail in so many ways and an infection that had spread to the lymphatic system could potentially be fatal. Benny's salve was all they had to treat it. It was an unfamiliar feeling for the angel to be so helpless.

She gasped when the cold salve was applied to the open wound but otherwise remained silent. He could tell she was starting to relax as he continued working, her trust in him gradually overcoming her fear. He spread the green paste on liberally, much like he had seen Dean do with the bite on his leg. When he finally finished, he pulled her tank top back down gently before rocking back on his heels.

"There," he said. "I am done."

She turned to face him, reaching immediately for her jacket. Her eyes locked with his and she gave him a meek smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Is it bad?" She tugged her jacket back on one sleeve at a time.

He nodded. "Yes. You should rest today. We will stay here until your fever breaks."

"But Dean… he won't want to wait. I don't want to make him mad."

"He won't, I assure you. He is human, not one of the monsters from this place. You must remember that, Nia. He wants you to be well." He was still hoping to convince her to trust Dean so that she would stay with the hunter should anything happen to Cas. "You need rest," he added. "I will have to apply more salve later."

Cas saw a gulp make its way down her throat and thought she was going to argue but she didn't. "Okay," she said weakly. He frowned, seeing how tired she was.

"You can go back to sleep," he offered. "I will stay right here."

"Thank-you," she said again sincerely, taking him up on his offer and curling back up at his side. She was asleep within minutes.

Cas thought back to Dean's comment to Benny about baby steps. He may be oblivious to many human nuances and emotions but he could tell how hard it had been for Nia to put herself in such a vulnerable position. He couldn't help but believe it was a step forward, even if it was but a small hurdle in two long, long roads - her road to moving past the last three years of her life and his road to absolution. _He_ had sent her here, _he_ had done this to her, and _he_ needed to heal her in more ways than simply sending her back topside a screwed-up mess.

**~X~X~X~X~**

They stayed where they were for three full days. Although he had complained constantly by the delay his sore leg had caused, Dean never said a word against this hold-up. Nia's fever spiked and she shivered and trembled through restless bouts of sleep for most of the first two days. Cas redressed the infected bite a few more times with no resistance from his patient and by the fourth morning, she claimed to be feeling much better and ready to move on.

The next week went smoothly. Much to Cas's liking, Nia was far more relaxed around Dean, even staying fairly close to him when Cas left suddenly upon getting wind of the Leviathan tracking him. She refused to warm up to the vampire, however, and Benny admitted with a chuckle each night that he fully expected to be headless by morning.

She still hung close to Cas most of the time and was far chattier as time passed, even going so far as to have full conversations with him. He found her company refreshing because she found him amusing and was interested in his in-depth knowledge and rambling observations about Purgatory, its wildlife, and his philosophical wonderings. Dean and Benny, on the other hand, seemed to find his musings somewhat comical and Cas was well aware he was the subject of many subtle eye rolls from the other two men.

One afternoon Cas was walking with Dean, captivated by a heartfelt discussion with the hunter about destiny versus free will. With the distraction, he somehow allowed the Leviathan to get too close and realized too late that they had pinpointed his location and were coming.

"Run!" he yelled, shoving Dean away from him. "Leviathan are coming! Run!"

He started running also, in the opposite direction, knowing he would not be able to escape them. He could try to flee using his angel powers – if he traveled fast enough and far enough, he could sometimes evade them – but he was unwilling to leave and have his enemy arrive here with no angel to kill and two humans at their mercy. So he ran on foot.

"Cas!" Nia cried, her voice shrill with confusion and fear.

Four of the 'Old Ones' crashed into the ground in fiery balls of tar, rising and taking the forms of well-manicured humans. Cas glanced back to see Nia running after him but Dean stopped her, yanking her by the arm and tugging her in the opposite direction. Cas didn't have time to explain the situation to the confused girl because one of the Leviathan was already bearing down on him but he heard Dean shouting at her.

"Let him go! He's safer on his own for this!" The hunter then yelled back at Cas. "Blip-out, Cas! Go!"

Cas swallowed, wondering how Dean still managed to put Cas's safety before his own after all the ways he had wronged the man. Surely he must know the Leviathan would likely not all follow their intended prey. A brief thought of not deserving such a true friend struck him before he was ducking and throwing a fist at the cold, stony face of the man attacking him.

He would not 'blip-out'. He would not leave his friends. Not when he had brought this danger to them. The Leviathan lunged at him, tackling him to the ground and as Cas rolled, kicking and punching, he caught a glimpse of the other three Leviathan.

They were not all chasing him as he had hoped; two were instead charging after the others.

Alarmed, he fought more frantically, finally getting the upper hand and ripping the head off his attacker with his bare hands. He tossed it high over the trees as he pushed himself to his feet. He rushed back towards Dean and Nia, who had stopped and were standing side by side in a defensive stance with weapons drawn against an approaching Leviathan.

Still fifty yards away, he was intercepted by a second attacker who got a lucky swing in and knocked the angel to the ground. Cas fought hard and desperately but was distracted by the sounds of fighting in the distance. He took another few hard hits, barely managing to keep the enemy's fist out of his chest. A Leviathan could crush an angel's grace if they got the right grip on it. Through brutal hits to the face that had blood smearing across his cheeks, he saw Dean's weapon sweep in a smooth arc and the head of the Leviathan the hunter had been fighting dropped to the ground.

Cas breathed a sigh of relief and saw both Dean and Nia running towards him but knew already they would be too late. He was overpowered and weak and wouldn't last that long. He felt the hand of the Leviathan on top of him clawing at his chest and he braced for the worst.

This was it. This was the end of Castiel.

He heard a hiss of air and the pressure stopped. The Leviathan's head dropped to the ground with a thud. He opened his eyes to find Benny standing over him, a smug smirk on his savage, fanged-out face. Benny reached down to grab Castiel's wrist and haul him to his feet, retracting his fangs at the same time.

"Thank-you," Cas said, almost grudgingly.

"Don't mention it," Benny drawled, far more graciously.

Dean and Nia reached them out of breath. Nia hung back but Cas was touched by the relief he could see in her eyes. Dean clasped Cas's shoulder, a gesture Cas had come to realize was one expressing fondness. Benny had a cocky grin on his face and held up two fingers as he addressed his human friend.

"That's two."

Dean grinned back. "Yeah, yeah. I still got one."

"No, you got half of one." Benny pointed to Nia. "Little Bit here gets half credit."

Apparently this was some sort of friendly competition. Cas could never understand Dean's propensity to joke and make light in dangerous situations but it seemed he had found a like-minded companion in the vampire. "We need to go," he blurted sharply, only in part due to the danger they were still in. That nagging feeling of jealousy was again blossoming inside him and Cas didn't particularly like it.

They left the area quickly, keeping up the fast pace until nightfall. Dean made sure to point out to Nia that Benny had saved Cas's life today, much to Cas's humiliation, in obvious hopes the act would lessen her distrust of the vampire in their midst.

That night, as the others slept, Cas stood watch from the top of the hill they had chosen for a camp. He did not sit or allow himself to relax for even a moment, instead choosing to spend the night on his feet, staring out over the forest below, tense and alert.

He had brought danger to his friends today. He felt conflicted once more, not sure if his presence and the advantage of his celestial power in fights against regular monsters outweighed the risk of bringing the attention of the far more powerful Leviathan to the group.

He was still debating the subject inwardly when he heard soft footsteps behind him. With no moon, it was extremely dark in Purgatory at night but Cas could see almost perfectly. He glanced back to find Nia approaching. She stepped up right next to him, closer than usual and to his surprise, slipped her small hand in his.

He was taken aback at the unexpected move. Skin on skin. This was the first time she had made physical contact willingly. He kept his reaction inside, however, and simply curled his warm fingers around her cold ones, smiling at her briefly before returning his gaze out over the trees.

**~X~X~X~X~**

Another week passed that was, by Purgatory standards, uneventful. The group encountered several enemies each day, more and more of which seemed to know who they were and had actually been seeking them out. Apparently two humans, an angel, and a wanted vampire all travelling together were too much for the basic monster instincts to pass up.

The enemies were dealt with swiftly and most of the time, without injury to any in the group. Knowing he was attracting the majority of their attackers, Castiel comforted himself with the fact that he could often take on most of the enemies single-handed and was able to keep his friends relatively safe at night. He could sense monsters of all kinds approaching before even Benny's heightened vampire senses picked them up.

The forest had thinned out and the area in which they traveled now was far more open and exposed. The threat of dragons, who would appear in their true flying reptilian form here in Purgatory, was making all of them wary and on edge. Conversations were short and clipped and their eyes scanned the sky as much as the horizon around them.

In hindsight, it seemed he should have known the worst threat would not come from above, or even up ahead or behind them. Cas had spent many hours in his first months here observing the slugs, creatures harmless to him but relaxing to watch in their fascinating, undulating slowness. He wasn't sure how he missed it slipping into the camp at dawn, how he didn't hear it inching its way towards the sleeping hunter, and how he failed to notice the subtle shift in Dean when he stood up and announced he was going to 'take a leak' before disappearing around the hill of rocks providing them shelter from the wind.

It was a few moments later before the angel frowned, the hint of something being wrong finally hitting him. He sensed something evil was close by and Dean was taking too long for a simple urination.

"Dean?" he called into the gray light of dawn. Nia sat up immediately at the sound of his voice and Benny looked up from where he was perched for his watch shift, sharpening his blade.

When he got no reply, he marched around to the other side of the rock to set eyes on his friend. Dean was there, standing by a large, jutting rock and drawing a symbol on its flat face… using his own blood. Cas gasped when he recognized the symbol but Dean had seen him and was already slamming his bloody palm into the center of it.

"No!" Cas cried. The smug smirk on Dean's face was the last thing he saw before he was struck by a terrible force. It ripped through him like Hiroshima and sent him flying into the air.

It was an angel banishing symbol. Cas had been the victim of the harsh, violent spell before, but only in the real world, where its power sent an angel hurdling back to Heaven, or elsewhere on the planet if the angel managed to deflect it. But here, in Purgatory….

He didn't get far. He hit an invisible wall just fifty feet into the air with thunderous force, pain shooting through his vessel like none he had ever experienced. He writhed in agony, barely aware he was screaming. His every nerve ending was on fire and coherent thought was swept from him by wave after wave of excruciating pain.

It seemed to last an unbearably long time but finally subsided enough he could remember who he was. That snap back to reality had been helped along by the sound of a woman shouting his name.

"Cas! Cas!"

He hadn't been aware of falling but found he was on the ground. He could feel the hard dirt beneath him and his fingers clawed at it frantically in reaction to what his body was being subjected to. His back arched and another scream tore from his throat, one so filled with pain he hardly recognized it. He struggled to push the pain aside, to pull his thoughts together, and figure out what was going on.

A familiar voice brought it all back in a rush.

"Well shit. It didn't work. Let's try that again, shall we?"

That was Dean. Dean had done this to him. The angel banishing spell… Cas remembered the demon that had possessed Nia telling him how Gordon Walker had tried to exorcize it over and over. It didn't work because the spell wasn't designed to find a door to Hell from Purgatory, but it had caused the demon excruciating pain, much to Walker's delight. The same principle must apply to the banishing spell.

"No! Don't kill him!" That was Nia, pleading.

Cas was vaguely aware of her next to him, her small hand fisted in the front of his dirty, stained hospital top.

"I don't think so, brother." That was Benny.

Cas struggled to see past the blinding pain still wracking his body to see what was going on. He gripped Nia's arm and tried to pull himself up to a sitting position, bright blotches still blurring his vision. Dean was infected or being influenced by something, that much he had sensed just before his friend had triggered the spell. He had to help him or stop him before Benny decided he was too much of a threat. Dean was a good fighter but Benny had been here almost five decades and Cas didn't like the hunter's chances if a battle to the death was waged between them.

"Dean," he rasped, realizing belatedly that his friend wasn't in control so pleas to him would do no good. His fists were grasping Nia's arms but he couldn't orient himself enough to pull himself to his feet. He had no celestial power, no physical strength, and was barely holding in screams of pain.

"They're fighting," Nia informed him, her voice an urgent whisper. "Let's run."

"No," Cas panted, knowing the fact that he would never leave Dean alone in trouble again didn't really matter because he wasn't able to crawl, much less run. "I won't leave Dean." He shuddered through another bout of pain and tried to focus on what was going on over by the rock face.

Benny and Dean were in a full-on fight, complete with swinging blades and angry curses. Cas felt an additional stab of pain inside that he attributed to fear rather than the throbbing waves of agony caused by the spell. Whatever had a hold on Dean was giving him extra-strength and speed and the vampire was barely holding his own.

No, Benny was holding back, Cas realized suddenly. He was swinging his blade only at easy blocks and was missing brief but unmistakable opportunities with open access to Dean's neck.

Dean obviously realized this also for he started goading the vampire. "Come on, Benny. Put your back into it." He threw a malicious glance at Nia, who was still crouched by Cas. "You only need one human train out of here. You got one to spare."

Benny narrowly avoided a sweeping arc of the hunter's blade but didn't swing back. "It ain't like that," he growled.

"It's exactly like that. Your pal here, Dean, he's mine now. If you kill me, you still got a ride topside with the girl but if I kill you, well somehow I think Purgatory's the last stop on the soul train. Die here and it's over, _brother_. So why don't you pull up your skirt and let's dance for real here."

"Nia," Cas rasped through clenched teeth, still barely holding his wits together amidst the pain. "You should run."

She shook her head and glanced back at the fight going on not thirty feet away. "Not without you. He'll kill you."

Cas wanted to argue further but a wave of dizziness struck him and his vision went blank. His head rolled back and he fought to maintain consciousness by concentrating on the voices he could still hear.

"Dean knows it's about more than my ticket," Benny grunted behind the clanging of metal on metal. Any lingering doubts Cas had regarding Benny's motives dissolved.

Dean laughed. "Awww, you think he's your friend?" he jeered. "You're a _vampire_." More metal clashing. "What do you think he's gonna do when you get topside? He's not gonna put your soul into your body and even if he does, it'll just be to chop your head off one more time and send you right back here."

Benny's voice remained calm. "You don't know Dean."

"On the contrary. I _**am**_ Dean."

Cas felt Nia starting to rise and his hand sought hers out, gripping it as firmly as he could to hold her still for a second. "Are you going to run?" he managed to ask, frustrated his body was so weak.

She shook her head and he noticed she had her scimitar gripped in one hand. "I'm not going to let him kill you."

"No," Cas panicked. Benny may be reluctant to kill Dean but Nia would not hesitate. And with two against one… "Please, Nia, he is my friend."

She frowned and looked back at the fight, clearly torn. Cas rolled to his side and followed her gaze.

"It may have started out that way but he knows he's more than that now," Benny was saying, his breath coming in heavy pants.

A cold version of Dean's laugh rang out and his head gave a small, spastic jerk sideways before tilting the other way in a languid roll. "See that's where you're wrong. Dean doesn't think he's much value to anyone. Just ask Cas over there. He's seen inside this mixed-up self-loathing pathetic excuse for a brain."

"Don't make no difference," came Benny's calm reply. "Just because he don't believe it don't mean it ain't true."

There was a flurry of activity as Dean lunged, clearly out of patience waiting for the vampire to put up a real fight. Metal clashed, bodies collided, and the men grunted before both blades went skittering away into the nearby brush.

"Damnit!" Dean swore before simply using his enhanced strength to shove Benny backwards through the air where he slammed hard into the rock face with the bloody symbol on it. The vampire slumped to the ground and fell deathly still, his eyes closed.

Dean's head immediately swung towards the pair thirty feet away. Nia gasped and tightened her grip on her scimitar again. She shot a quick glance at Cas.

"Sorry," she said simply and then she was charging right at Dean.

"No!" Cas cried hoarsely, still unable to move. Either she would kill Dean or Dean would kill her and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it but watch.

Dean was fast, faster than he had been as a human, and in one fluid movement he stooped down to scoop up the weapon he had dropped and swung it at the tiny human who was howling a piercing war cry as she flew at him.

His blade didn't find purchase in Nia's flesh but he deflected her swing and knocked the scimitar out of her hands. She rolled to the ground and was barely on all fours before he was on her. He threw a fast punch that landed in her face and she hit the dirt hard. A series of vicious kicks to her stomach and side lifted her up repeatedly off the ground until she curled into a ball, making barely audible whimpering sounds.

Cas watched helplessly, grief overwhelming him as he realized how much he had come to care for the strange human he was about to watch die. Flashes of her enchanting smile flitted through his mind, the sound of her girlish laugh, the timid feel of her small hand in his, the sound of her fierce and defiant battlecry and lastly, the image of her glistening naked figure as she bathed in the river. She was something special and remarkable and regret tore at him that he had not managed to save her.

Dean stopped. His lip curled in distaste and his chest heaved with exertion, but he stopped while Nia was still gasping for air and trembling in pain at his feet. "Oh I'm not going to kill you," he told her, ignoring the angel in the brush behind him who was barely clinging to consciousness. "You're a human. I have a friend whose gonna love crawling into you."

He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, peering down at her.

Nia looked up at him, her face dirt-streaked and reddening where his fist had struck her. "Stay away from me," she spat defiantly.

He laughed, his hands on his hips as he looked down at her. "No can do, little one. See, Mother made us with promises of big things. We were supposed to go topside and live like we were meant to be, in a human vessel, with strength and speed and opposable thumbs. Instead she left and never came back, leaving us here to spend eternity as slugs, slow and weak and loathed by even the most lowly of creatures in this place. Dean here even calls us worms. Kahn-worms to be exact. We deserve better."

Cas could make out Nia's expression of pure fear as she lay on the ground looking up at Dean. He tried again to push his way to his feet but just couldn't find the strength. The spell had completely wiped him. "Dean," he tried to call out but his voice just wouldn't carry.

Dean kept on talking to his prey. "Now it turns out Dean here is the one who killed the Mother." He shook his head. "I'll make him pay for that. You… well you barely qualify as human anymore but you'll have to do for my friend." He made a sound of disgust as he reached down to haul her to her feet by the sleeves.

"_Cas!"_ she whimpered, her voice terrified and pleading. Cas could only watch, helpless.

Dean laughed as he pushed her against the rock behind her. "Cas can't help you now," he gloated, firing a smug look back at the angel. "Once I get you secured, I'm gonna do that spell again, you see. If it doesn't send him away, I'll just keep doing it until it kills him."

"No, please," Nia begged.

He laughed at her, his head giving another sideways jerk. "Awww, got a little crush on your angel here? How pathetic. He's an _angel_, sweetheart. A celestial being, a Soldier of God. You? You're just damaged goods. Nothing but an overused, worthless whore." He laughed again. "You don't like to be touched, huh little girl?" He moved his hands up to wrap around her neck. "Well, how does this feel?"

Nia's eyes widened and she made a couple of choking sounds before Dean cut off her air entirely. She started kicking and clawing at him but he held fast, chuckling as he watched her struggle.

Cas was on his stomach, clawing at the dirt and trying with everything he had to drag himself forward. He attempted to call out Dean's name again, hoping the deep friendship he had shared with Dean remained enough intact that Cas would be able to use its influence to somehow give the hunter the will to fight the slug's influence over him. At the very least, he could distract him from his cruel tormenting of the undeserving Nia and turn the anger his way.

But it wasn't Cas who was got to save the day today. It was Benny - again. Cas couldn't help feel a fleeting flicker of resentment as he watched Benny rise silently to his feet just out of Dean's view. It was quickly swallowed by a wave of relief when the vampire picked up a chunk of wood and swung it down hard at the base of the hunter's skull and Dean dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

**~X~X~X~X~**

_**A/N:** Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter. RL probs got in the way and it just didn't want to write itself. Hopefully it turned out alright. As always, I appreciate any feedback. The Khan-worm (from the episode And Then There Were None) problems aren't over yet - it's caused a lot of damage and Dean runs into a familiar face next chap._


	6. Blast from the Past

_SO SORRY about the delay in posting. Things have been crazy the past few weeks. I think this is the longest I've ever taken to post – over three weeks! Yikes. Again, so sorry. I struggled to get the juices flowing again so this chapter may not be the best, but hopefully I am back on schedule now._

_**Previously: **__Nia is growing more trustful of Cas, so much so she comes up to him and holds his hand as he stands on guard watching the camp one night. A Kahn-worm crawls into Dean, taking him over and he does the angel-banishing spell on Cas. It doesn't send Cas away but hurts him badly, weakening him so much he can't help. Benny fights Dean but doesn't want to kill his friend so he holds back. Dean hurts Nia with both words and his boot before Benny manages to knock him out. Then Cas passes out._

**Chapter 6 – Blast from the Past**

Castiel wasn't familiar with the disorienting feeling one gets when waking up from unconsciousness. In fact, he wasn't even sure he had passed out but the confused state his brain was in and the blank gap in his memory definitely indicated a lapse in consciousness. The last thing he remembered was Dean was crumpling to the ground after Benny struck him on the back of the head. Now, as he strained to bring focus to his blurry vision, he saw Dean tied to a tree stump with belts, including the one from Cas's coat. The hunter's head was twitching as he too fought his way back to consciousness.

Cas forced himself up into a seated position, twisting his throbbing head around in search of the others. He saw Benny over by the rocky outcrop, squatted down in front of Nia who was huddled at the base of the rock that held the bloody banishing symbol. Her scimitar was gripped tightly in one hand while her other arm was folded across her belly. Memories of what had happened were coming back to Cas sporadically and the one of Dean kicking the small girl repeatedly in the stomach flashed to his mind. His hearing was faint and he seemed to have developed an echo within his skull but Benny's words slowly became decipherable.

"Just stay over here, alright?" Benny was practically pleading Nia. "I'm telling you, it wasn't him. I got him trussed up good, okay? He ain't gonna hurt you. Just…" he had his hands spread in front of him in a calming gesture, "…just keep that blade to yourself 'til we get this figured out, hear me?"

It wasn't hard to figure out Benny didn't trust Nia not to kill Dean the moment he turned his back. Cas tried to push himself to his feet but dropped back down to his knees with a grunt. Benny and Nia both turned to look his way at the sound.

"Cas!" Nia gasped, scrambling sideways to skirt past the vampire and reach him.

"Welcome back," Benny drawled, rising to his full height. "Think maybe you can keep an eye on her? Make sure she doesn't try to up our mutual friend's iron content in the unfriendly way?" He gestured towards Dean.

Cas managed a nod and turned his head towards Nia, who was lowering herself to her knees next to him. She winced, pressing a hand to her side as she did so and Cas frowned at the sight of her split lip and bruised face.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, his voice raspy and hoarse.

She nodded. "He's possessed," she said simply. "He tried to kill you."

"I'm not possessed you stupid little human," Dean spat from where he was tugging at his restraints. "I'm new and improved. I'm enlightened."

"It's awake," Benny announced unnecessarily, his tone snide.

"Shut up, vampire."

"Shut-up worm," Benny fired back. "And get out of my friend."

"No. He's mine now."

Benny strode over to Dean, wrapping his fists in the front of his shirt in the first outward display of anger Cas had seen from the vampire. "Get out or I'll make it my lifelong mission to step on every one of your worm friends I can find."

"Actually, it has the form of a slug," Cas corrected, panting as he tried once more to rise to his feet. "While they are both hermaphrodites, a slug has a head similar to a snail where as a worm…"

"I don't give a damn if it's a sea cucumber, Cas," Benny cut him off. "How do we get it out of Dean?"

Cas had managed to stand and, although unsteady, he stumbled forward a few steps towards them. Nia stayed tucked in behind him and silent.

"I don't know," Cas frowned. "These creatures are new. Angels have no knowledge of them in our archives."

"Dean seemed to know somethin' about 'em," Benny pointed out. "It said he called 'em king worms… or con worms… or somethin' of the like."

"Kahn worms," Nia supplied. "He said Kahn worms."

Cas shook his head. "I have never heard of such a thing but Dean he… he tends to give things names of his own. Strange names." He gave Benny a sideways glance. "Like bloodsucker or Fang-face."

Benny just nodded. Dean had called him - and continued to call him - a plethora of race-related nicknames but offense had only been intended or taken during the first couple of weeks, before the hunter's trust had been earned.

"Can you use your angel juice to kill the thing?" the vampire asked, sounding impatient.

"I'm not sure," Cas admitted, still swaying on his feet where he stood. Truth was, he didn't feel any 'angel juice'. His entire body still throbbed and spasms of sharp pain still ran through it frequently but he could feel none of Heaven's power within him.

Benny stepped up to him and half-supported, half-ushered him over to where Dean was bound to the tree stump. "Well, get sure fast and give it a shot, Hot Wings," he grumbled.

Cas sighed once more and sank to his knees in front of his friend.

"Keep your filthy hands off me, angel."

Ignoring the slug's warning, Cas placed a hand on Dean's forehead and tried to draw on his powers. He strained until he was sweating and shaking and his vision blurred. He could now feel traces of his grace's power within him but despite his efforts, nothing substantial. Not enough to even sense the thing controlling Dean, never mind destroy it or draw it out. He slumped back on his heels. "I can't," he panted.

Dean began to laugh. "That spell really did a number on you, huh angel? Crushed your grace like a watermelon. You're completely useless now. How pathetic."

Benny frowned at Cas. "That true?" he demanded. "About your juice?"

Cas was still trying to catch his breath but probably wouldn't have answered even if he had been able to. What if he wasn't able to fix his grace? What if it was too damaged for repair? He would be of no use to his friends like this. He may not deserve to still have his grace after all the wrong he had done but he needed it nonetheless. He needed it to protect Dean and Nia… and Benny.

"Cas?" Nia whispered from behind him when he didn't answer.

"I can't kill it," he admitted finally.

"Can we exorcize it?" Nia asked quietly.

Dean laughed again. "I'm not a demon, you halfwit. There is no way to separate me from Dean. Like I said, he's mine now."

"Like Hell," Benny snapped, turning back to Cas and Nia. "There's gotta be a way."

"I do not know of one," Cas said, feeling defeated.

"We can torture it out," Nia suggested. "Or burn it out."

"That won't work on me," Dean jeered. "But it will cause your friend here unimaginable agony, so go ahead."

"Nobody's torturing or burning nobody," Benny said, eyeing Nia warily.

Cas struggled to think through the painful throbbing in his skull.

_Cas?_

The angel's blue eyes shot wide open at the voice in his head.

_Cas, you hearing me?_

Dean was praying. He was awake in there and praying. "Yes," Cas stammered, fixing his gaze on the hunter. Dean's body was still talking, spouting the slug's taunting words to Benny and Nia, clearly enjoying the vampire's worry that Nia would take matters into her own hands and lash out at Dean and practically goading her to do so.

_Electricity._

Cas frowned. "I don't understand."

_Zap the sucker with electricity. It'll have to crawl out of me or it'll die._

Cas had heard of other monsters that succumbed only to electric shocks, such as Frainens or Rawheads, but electricity didn't generally work on demons or ghosts or angels or other entities that had the ability to physically possess and control a body. In fact, most of them were effective conduits, some even able to generate a current of their own. "Are you sure?"

"Sure of what?" Dean's body narrowed those green eyes at him for a second before an angry look came over his face. "You'll pay for that, Winchester!" His mouth set in a grim line and Dean's next prayer stopped abruptly.

_Of course I'm sur… ngh… fuck!_

Cas knew without a doubt the slug was now hurting Dean within his own body. He turned to Benny. "Electric shock," he said urgently. "Electric shock will force it out."

The vampire threw his hands in the air. "We don't have any damn light bulbs in Purgatory!" he exclaimed.

"There's those blue glowie eels," Nia offered. "In the water."

"They're only in the deep lakes," Benny countered. "We're days away from any lake." He looked back down at Cas. "Unless your blipping thing's still up and runnin'?"

Cas shook his head, knowing there was no way he could wing anywhere in his condition. He peered back at Dean and was discomforted by the smug, malicious smile on his face. That certainly didn't bode well for his friend trapped inside. Cas lifted his own hand in front of him, staring at it as he curled his fingers up and released them a few times. He felt a spark of grace inside him, not much but enough to cling to, enough to focus on to try and manage a basic rush of current. Surely he could do that much.

He took a few deep breaths before reaching forward. He used one hand to pull down the neck of Dean's t-shirt, exposing bare skin. He splayed the other palm on that skin, just to the right of the hunter's anti-possession tattoo.

Dean laughed again, tauntingly. "Don't waste your time. You'll kill him before I'll give him up."

"Dean doesn't die easily," Cas shot back before throwing everything he had into sending a shock down through his fingers. Dean convulsed and shuddered in his bonds but the slug managed to hold out, cold eyes ablaze with fury. Cas fired another blast at him, this time holding it for longer. "Check his ears," he panted to the two onlookers. "And his mouth. It will come out when the pain becomes too much for it."

"What about if it gets too much for Dean?" Benny asked.

Cas didn't answer, instead concentrating on staying awake and keeping the current flowing. This was the only chance Dean had, he justified, though it tore him to pieces knowing he was causing his friend so much agony.

Dean was soon crying out, hissing and writhing beneath Cas's touch but there was no sign of the slug. Benny was hovering, checking one ear then the next, back and forth back and forth.

"It ain't coming out," he said, his Louisiana drawl thicker than usual in his obvious worry.

"There's more than three holes it can come out of," Nia pointed out as she watched from a distance with what appeared to be fascination. She gave an innocent shrug when Benny frowned at her and she gestured towards Dean's pants. "I'm just saying."

Cas knew he didn't have much power left in him. In fact, if he kept going, he might just deplete his grace entirely, wiping out any chance he had of it healing and ever regaining his full celestial powers. But Dean was the main reason he still needed them so sacrificing him to save them made no sense and simply wasn't an option. He gasped for air as he paused to summon one last rush of current and let slip a silent plea to his Father that the hunter be spared and not die from electric shock at his hands. He hoped this slug creature wouldn't be stubborn enough to die for the sake of killing its human vessel with it.

Dean screamed out loud at the final jolt before abruptly falling silent. His body slumped back against the tree stump and his head lolled forward. Cas's heart sank and he fell backwards onto his ass in the grass, weak and spent. Worry and grief swelled up inside him. Had he just killed Dean?

"There it is!" cried Nia, springing out of her crouched position ten feet behind them and swinging her blade down on the form of an eight inch long black slug which had just dropped to the ground near Dean's slumped head and was headed for the cover of a nearby clump of grass. She hacked it in two and then kept swinging, chopping it again and again until it was in at least sixty pieces. Finally she backed off, looking decidedly satisfied.

Benny gave her a wary look as he bent down to feel for a pulse on Dean. "Remind me again never to piss you off, Little Bit," he chuckled nervously.

"Is he alive?" Cas rasped, too weak to move.

Benny nodded and immediately started to untie Dean. "He's got a pulse," was all he said, not sounding all that reassuring.

"That is good," was all Cas managed before passing out for the second time.

**~X~X~X~X~**

Cas awoke stiff and weak to find Dean just starting to regain consciousness next to him. Benny had apparently propped them both up against the rock with a water pouch on the ground between them and had left Nia on look-out. She was sitting on top of the rocky outcrop for the eagle's-eye view but grinned and climbed down when Dean's audible groan got her attention. She smiled at Cas as she came to stand ten feet in front of them and promptly informed the pair that Benny had gone for food.

"What the Hell happened?" Dean grumbled, looking completely confused. "And why do I feel like I just got tossed through a woodchipper?"

Nia didn't offer any explanation but remained still, studying them intently from where she stood with her blade in hand. "Is it you?" she asked finally.

"You talking to me?" Dean looked up at her with a puzzled frown. "Is what me?"

"It is him," Cas assured her. "It is Dean."

"What happened to your face?" Dean blurted, his tone concerned. Her cheek was starting to turn a deep purple and her lip was still swollen and split.

Nia simply scowled at him and turned instead to Cas. "Are you still hurt?"

Cas took a deep breath and closed his eyes to assess his internal condition. He could feel a small amount of his celestial powers, a tiny spark deep inside, but nothing more. Hopefully that would be sufficient to act as a pilot light and sustain them until he could replenish them. He opened his eyes again and nodded. "I will require some time to heal but I believe I will be fine," he replied.

She shuffled on her feet, not coming any closer. "Is there something... can I help?"

Cas shook his head. "No," he said wearily. "I just need to regain my strength. I will be fine."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Dean mumbled sarcastically.

She ignored him and simply nodded and gestured up to the top of the rocky outcrop. "I'll keep lookout," she said and turned away to climb back up. The stiffness of her movements made it obvious she was in some amount of pain and Cas couldn't help but regret once more that he couldn't heal her.

"Cas?"

"Yes Dean?"

"You gonna fill me in here? Why are we both down for the count and why does Nia look like she just tried to take on Mike Tyson?"

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"Counting fucking sheep."

Cas furrowed his brow and turned his head to the hunter next to him. "Why would you be counting..."

"Going to sleep, Cas," Dean cut him off with a groan. "The last thing I remember was going to sleep."

"Oh. You could have simply said going to sleep." Cas wasn't aware he was pouting until he caught the eyeroll Dean made at him. He sighed and began to recount the encounter with the slug.

Dean remained silent but his shoulders slumped and his head hung lower with every word out of the angel's mouth. It was clear to Cas the hunter was feeling guilty for almost killing him and for hurting Nia.

"It was not you," he pointed out. "You hold no blame."

Dean just let out a deep exhale. "You gonna get your mojo back anytime soon?"

"I don't know. I believe… I believe I will eventually."

"But nothing yet?"

"On the contrary. I feel it building strength within me with every passing minute. It will take some time, weeks perhaps, months even, but I am confident it will replenish and heal itself."

"That's good." He glanced upwards, tilting his body forward to catch a glimpse of Nia before turning back to Cas. "I'm guessing she's back to wanting to kill me?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Look at her face, dude. And you said I kicked her? I know she's not about to show-and-tell but she winces every time she moves. It's gotta be pretty bad."

Cas could see his friend's guilt and knew how prone the hunter was to wallowing in such feelings of self-blame and letting them fester and build up inside until they nearly crippled him on an emotional front. He could not read Dean's mind here in Purgatory, but knew him well enough after all they had been through to see the signs.

"Why don't you simply talk to her?" he suggested. "Nia will forgive you. She is a gentle, pleasant person."

A loud snort escaped Dean. "To you, maybe. Girl's got a major crush on you, dude."

Cas frowned. There was that term again. He was not familiar with that one. "The slug said the same thing. What is a crush?"

"It means she likes you, Cas," Dean snickered. "So what exactly did the slug say to her?"

"That she was pathetic for having a crush on an angel. That she was damaged goods and unworthy of a Celestial being. That she was nothing but an overused, worthless whore," Cas repeated bluntly. "Then you... the slug... started to strangle her."

Dean's smile had completely disappeared. "I said that?" he asked in a choked voice.

"No, the slug said that," Cas clarified but his words didn't seem to comfort Dean. "If it's any consolation, she seems to harbor less hatred towards the vampire now," he pointed out. "He proved that he genuinely considers you a friend and he saved Nia's life… and mine."

"Yeah, Benny's good people," Dean said, nodding distractedly and peering once again up at Nia. "Well, good for a vamp anyway," he added. "Like I keep telling you, he's legit."

"It leads me to wonder how many other of the creatures of Purg..." Cas stopped talking when Dean held a hand up to silence him.

"Uh, hold on to that thought, Cas. I gotta take care of something." The hunter pushed himself stiffly up to his feet and made his way slowly up the sloped side of the rocky outcrop towards Nia.

Unable to stand, Cas remained where he was. He squinted his eyes to lessen the throbbing in his brain as he looked up at the silhouettes of his friends against the bleak, Purgatory sky. Nia was sitting cross-legged and looked particularly tiny when framed next to the tall hunter as he approached her. Castiel's angel senses were dulled but he was still able to hear the conversation if he concentrated.

"I can keep guard by myself," he heard Nia say warily as Dean drew closer.

"I know." Dean held his hands in front of him to show he had no weapons but didn't stop advancing until he was just a few feet away. He lowered himself stiffly so he was sitting in front of her. "Listen, Cas told me what happened. I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Alright."

"You know I don't actually think any of the things that worm said, right?" he pressed.

"It had control of you. I know that."

"I'm still sorry."

"I chopped it into a hundred pieces. It won't get you again."

Cas heard Dean chuckle. "Yeah, thanks for that." There was a brief silence. "You know," the hunter continued more quietly, "last time one of those things got in me, I killed my own cousin." He sighed and rubbed a hand over his mouth. "I mean, sure me and her had our differences but she didn't deserve that. Neither did you. Nia, I'm sorry that I hurt you."

Cas couldn't hear any conversation for a long minute before Nia spoke in a soft voice. "I did a lot of bad things when I had the demon in me," she said, surprising the angel with the admission, especially since it was being given to Dean and not to him. Nia had never spoken of the year she spent possessed or the year she spent with Luthor. "Terrible things. I killed people. I hurt people. Lots of people. And…" She paused. Dean remained silent, allowing her to gather the courage to keep going. "And I couldn't stop him," she finished finally. "You're lucky you don't remember. I remember everything."

"Nothing you did when you were possessed was your fault," Dean assured her.

She shook her head. "I thought God sent me here to punish me," she practically whispered, making Cas strain to hear her from where he sat eavesdropping on the ground. "For not stopping him. For not fighting hard enough. I thought God gave me to Luthor for being so weak. But then he sent the angel here and now Cas has to save me for his redemption so that means I must be forgiven, right?"

Cas frowned, deeply disturbed by her words. She had completely misinterpreted his intentions in their first days together. She thought he was protecting her solely to earn his own redemption.

He swallowed and pursed his lips. No, she hadn't misinterpreted – that had been the selfish truth at the time and he had thoughtlessly admitted it to her. But it wasn't the truth anymore. He genuinely cared for the tiny, wild, strange girl. She meant far more to him now than a means of atonement for his multitude of sins over the past few years. He found it upsetting she would believe she actually deserved this fate and even worse, that God had done this to her. It was him, Castiel, who had done this to her. Castiel and Crowley, the King of Hell and the farthest thing from God that existed.

"I think that's the most I've ever heard you say. You're not as crazy as you pretend to be, are you?" Dean chuckled softly before growing serious with an audible sigh. "Nia, God didn't send you here. Trust me, the big guy's been AWOL for a long time. And even if he wasn't, he would never punish you for something you had no control over. All the shit you've been through, that's just… it's just bad luck. You didn't deserve any of it but it happened anyway. But we're gonna get you to the door and we're gonna get you home."

"And Cas?"

"He'll get through the door too," Dean replied without missing a beat. "He's inside a human vessel. Besides, he belongs here even less than we do."

Cas leaned his head back against the rock behind him as he listened. He knew Dean had forgiven him. He didn't feel he deserved that forgiveness but he couldn't deny he had wanted it more than anything else since the moment he had first regained his sanity.

"I won't go if he can't," Nia said.

"Neither will I. We're all getting out of here, Nia. The four of us. Together."

Cas furrowed his brow. The loyalty they were both showing him was a complication he would have to deal with at a later date – after he got them safely to this door.

"So are we okay?" Dean asked after a pause. "Me and you? We good?"

"Don't get possessed by any more worms."

"Yeah, I'll try," Dean chuckled. "I hate those things."

"It was gross. It was right up inside you."

Cas heard Dean laugh again. "Hey, did you just smile at me?" he asked Nia, his tone teasing. "You did. You smiled at me."

Cas was glad to see Nia finally relax and warm up to Dean. He had feared the complete opposite would happen after today's events. He needed them to form a bond so that when the pair got back home, Nia wouldn't be alone. So that she would let Dean help her for even with the angel's limited knowledge of human interaction and social normalcy, he could see she was troubled. After a year of having a demon control her body from the inside and a year of having a vampire control her body from the outside, Nia had spent too much time withdrawn into her own mind, twisting and distorting the reasons for her suffering until they made some kind of sense to her. Unfortunately, that corruption of the truth had somehow left an opening that put Cas in the role of her savior. A role he felt unfit to fulfill. A role for which Dean was far better suited.

Dean was resilient. He had made it through Hell and had kept going after losing everything he held dear. And when he got home, Dean would have Sam to lean on. Yes, Cas was confident Dean would persevere and lumber through any emotional issues like he always did. But Nia… Nia may seem tough and savage but Cas saw something else in her underneath those things. He saw vulnerability and frailty and a gentle soul hiding beneath layers of violence and hurt. Nia would need help. And Dean would have to help her because Cas wouldn't be there.

Cas wasn't going home. He may have earned Dean's forgiveness but he hadn't earned his own.

**~X~X~X~X~**

Travel was slow over the next few days with Nia sore and Cas weak. His celestial powers hadn't returned in any sizable measure yet and he was beginning to worry they would never fully replenish. How was he to protect his friends without them?

On the bright side, with little 'angel mojo', he attracted no Leviathan. In fact, not a single Leviathan attacked for over two months. The foursome worked into a relaxed routine and Nia gradually melted into the group rather than always keeping Cas as a buffer. She even took food Benny handed her and allowed the poor vampire to sleep without keeping one eye open wondering when she was going to launch herself at him with her blade swinging.

Cas still kept guard at nights while the others took turns keeping him company. Nia still slept by his side whenever he was perched nearby and when he wasn't, dug herself into a self-made foxhole or found cover beneath a tree-root or heavy brush. She hunted with her bow almost every evening and always looked pleased when she was able to give Dean a Hakredin for supper. Cas watched her progress within the group's dynamic with amusement and satisfaction. Dean's brotherly teasing and Benny's affable nature seemed to be having a positive effect on her and her lost social graces were slowly returning.

They usually walked in single file, taking turns both leading and bringing up the rear. Benny's frequent whistling stopped getting on Cas's nerves and soon became a sound the group could associate with safety and high spirits. After a few weeks, Nia even began to hum alongside the vampire as they walked.

It was almost two months after the Kahn worm incident when they came across the first monster from Dean's past. Cas was actually surprised it had taken this long for word was spreading quickly through Purgatory that Dean Winchester was here and there was certainly a long list of monsters sent here by a Winchester hand.

Cas was crouched next to Dean and Nia on the banks of a river, washing his hands while the humans filled their water pouches when he heard the clanging of metal in the woods behind them and a chortled grunt of pain.

"Benny!" Dean exclaimed, dropping his pouch and scrambling up the bank with his blade already drawn. Since Cas had not yet regained his power to travel 'angel-style', he followed the hunter on foot. Nia scooped up Dean's dropped pouch and brought up the rear, a few paces behind even before she made a detour to retrieve her bow.

Cas stepped into a clearing alongside Dean to find Benny on the losing side of a machete-fight with another vampire. This guy was a better fighter than most and well-armed for he held a sharp, clean machete in each hand and he easily parried Benny's tired and over-extended swing.

"Gordon Walker!" Dean shouted, his face tightening in obvious anger.

Benny took advantage of his foe's momentary distraction to move quickly out of his reach. "You know this vamp?" he panted, glancing at Dean.

Dean nodded. "Oh yeah. I know him." He moved forward with his multi-bladed 'Purgatory weapon' held offensively out before him. "He's mine."

Benny nodded and immediately stood down. "If you say so, brother." His shirt was sporting some new red stains and a ghastly streak of blood ran down the side of his face.

Gordon stood grinning at Dean, his stance casual and his two blades lowered at his sides. He shook his head in apparent disproval. "Dean Winchester. So the rumors are true." He glanced distastefully at Benny. "I should have known you'd get friendly with the locals. And you call yourself a hunter?"

Dean advanced slowly. "Well here in Purgatory, I'm as much hunted as hunter but trust me, I'm gonna enjoy taking your head."

"Is that any way to treat an old friend?" Gordon raised his machetes and the two started circling one another.

"Friend? You tried to kill my brother you sonofabitch!" Dean lunged forward but Gordon easily avoided the swing. Cas moved to intervene but Benny held a hand out in front of him.

"Only if he needs it," he said quietly.

The two continued their unfriendly conversation as they fought.

"And how is young Sammy anyway?" Gordon spat. "I hate to say 'I told you so', but word is he did exactly what I said he would. He brought Lucifer topside and started the Apocalypse."

"And he took a swan dive into Hell to fix his mistake," Dean defended.

"You should have let me kill him the first time round and you know it."

"My brother's not a monster. You, on the other hand…"

Gordon ducked beneath a hard swing and rammed a shoulder into Dean, knocking the hunter off balance. Dean managed to skitter backwards enough to avoid the vampire's next lunge and quickly sprang back on the offensive.

"I'm still a hunter," Gordon argued, deflecting a flurry of Dean's wild blows. "In fact, I kill more monsters here in Purgatory than I ever did topside."

"Well, you've killed your last," Dean retorted. "So shut up and die already." His fury and hatred for this particular vampire must have been fueling his fighting skills because he charged forward with his blade swinging this way and that and within seconds, had Gordon on his knees in the dirt, both machetes kicked out of his reach.

Dean leveled his blade an inch from the defeated vampire's neck. "Any last requests?" he said, his voice stony and cold. Cas wondered just what had happened between these two and quickly came to the conclusion it was the afore-mentioned attempt on Sam's life that had pushed Dean over the line.

Gordon managed to keep his face cool and even retracted his extra teeth. "You don't want to do this, Dean. In here, I'm no threat to humans am I? And I kill monsters. As many of them as I can find. Here, I'm one of the good guys."

"You were never one of the good guys." Dean drew back to swing but stopped when a loud shriek sounded from behind him.

"No! No!" Nia raced into the clearing, shoving her way past both Cas and Dean to sandwich her body between Gordon and Dean's blade.

Dean reached for her arm to pull her away but she stood her ground, dropping to her knees right in front of Gordon and spreading her arms out protectively. Cas rushed forward also, worried the vampire would use her as a shield and threaten her to secure his survival but her expression stopped him.

"No, Dean, don't kill him!" she pleaded.

"Nia! My little human!" Gordon exclaimed, sounding surprised but definitely pleased. "You're still alive." Surprisingly, he made no move to harm her.

She twisted her head slightly and nodded at him, never taking her eyes off Dean.

"Nia, get out of the way," Dean hissed.

"No," she said stubbornly.

"Nia, get out of the way, _now_."

"I won't let you kill Walker."

Dean narrowed her eyes at her. "How do you know this guy? You realize he's a vampire, right? I thought you hated all vampires."

"He saved me."

"_Him_? I doubt it."

Cas stepped forward. "Gordon Walker was the vampire who captured Nia when she first arrived here and was still possessed by the demon," he explained.

Dean frowned as the information sank in. "The one who tried to exorcize you over and over for giggles?"

Nia scowled at him. "He saved me."

"Nia, move away from the vampire and we shall discuss this," Cas told her, still worried about Gordon getting desperate. He wished his angel powers had returned but they were still very faint.

"No," she shook her head, shuffling backwards until she was pressed right up against Gordon. Cas was shocked at her level of devotion to a vampire her who had tortured the demon possessing her for weeks with no thought to the girl stuck inside.

"I think you'd best stay right there, Nia," Gordon said smoothly, grinning over her shoulder at Dean.

"Don't fucking touch her," Dean threatened.

"Don't hurt him," Nia fired back, her tone pleading. "Dean, please."

Cas came to stand right next to Dean. "I don't understand." The angel frowned down at her. "Did you not feel the pain the demon was subjected to when Walker kept exorcizing you?"

He saw a swallow work its way down Nia's throat but she didn't move from her protective stance. Finally she nodded. "I did but he didn't mean to hurt me. He was punishing the demon."

Dean groaned. "It's the fricking Stockholm syndrome."

"When a hostage or prisoner begins to feel an emotional connection to their captor, including both empathy and sympathy," Cas reiterated, nodding. "Yes, that seems likely here."

"No, you don't understand," Nia snapped defiantly. "He saved me. After the demon was gone, he could have killed me but he didn't. He didn't hurt me or feed from me – well, except the two times he was hurt and needed human blood to get better. But he showed me Purgatory."

"I taught her how to survive," Gordon elaborated over her shoulder. "I fed her, gave her shelter, protected her, taught her how to fight, how to survive in this place. I'm the reason she's still alive." He gave Dean a smug smile. "Like I said, in here I'm one of the good guys."

Cas frowned. Benny had regained his humanity, at least from a spiritual and ethical standpoint if not a physical one. Was it so implausible that other vampires were so inclined?

Dean was clearly not convinced. "You didn't care about the innocent when you were human, Gordon. You ain't about to start now. You may have her convinced but your head's still coming off."

"No, Dean!" Nia whimpered, tears now welling up in her lower eyelids. "I won't let you. Please."

Dean shifted uncomfortably and turned his head to Cas. "You wanna weigh in on this?"

Cas sighed. Nia had come so far over the past weeks in trusting her three traveling companions and he didn't want to break that trust. She was as stubborn as Dean and would not give up Walker willingly. If they wanted to kill the vampire, they would have to physically drag her away. She had never asked them for anything since the day Cas agreed to spend the nights with her so she could sleep. "Maybe we should let him go," he shrugged.

Dean's jaw tightened but he looked back down at Nia. "If I don't kill this asshole that means you saved him and you don't owe him anything. You two would be even, got it?"

Nia nodded furiously.

Dean took a step back and lowered his weapon, gesturing for her to get up. She eyed him warily and didn't move.

"As long as he goes peacefully, I won't hurt him," Dean assured her. She got up slowly and turned to look at Gordon, who still had that smug smile on his face. He rose to his feet also, not bothering to give Nia so much as a glance or a thank-you as he kept his eyes trained on Dean.

"You're still weak, Dean," he said bluntly. "Now a little girl's telling you what to do."

"That little girl just saved your ass so I suggest you get the Hell away from here before I change my mind."

"Dean," Nia scolded.

"And if our paths cross again, trust me, you won't walk away," Dean continued.

"I am curious," Cas interjected, looking at Gordon. "Why did you protect Nia for those few months after the demon left her?"

Gordon took a step towards one of his machetes but Benny scooped it off the ground and shook his head. "Uh-unh. These stay with us," Benny drawled.

Gordon's mouth drew into a tight line but he let it go and turned to look at Cas. "I'm a hunter," he explained. "I taught her how to hunt. Two hunters can kill more monsters than one, right? Simple logic."

That made sense to Cas. Gordon hadn't found his humanity; his hatred for monsters had survived through him turning vampire and was clearly eternal because it had followed his twisted soul to his afterlife in Purgatory. He had not cared for Nia – she was but another tool to fuel his need to kill monsters.

Nia clearly didn't see it this way. "We should take him with us," she said suddenly. "To the door."

"What? No!" Dean barked, narrowing his eyes in warning.

"Benny can go in you and Walker can go in me," she argued. "There's room."

"Go where?" Gordon questioned eagerly. "What door?"

Dean spoke sternly. "Nia you say one more word about it and I _will_ chop his head off," he threatened.

"But Dean, I owe him."

"No you don't," Cas cut in. "You never owned him anything. He never had your best interest at heart. He may have taught you a few things but his intentions were never clean. You survived all those months alone on your own merit, Nia, not his."

"You're wrong," she insisted stubbornly.

"Yeah, Deano, you're wrong," Gordon chimed in smugly. "Me and Nia here were partners for a while. I didn't treat her like Luthor did."

"And when Luthor grabbed her from you, exactly what did you do about it?" Dean accused.

Gordon shrugged. "Luthor's nest has over a hundred vamps. Not much I could do."

"Hear that, Nia?" said Dean. "He knew Luthor had you and he left you there."

Tears were now freely falling down Nia's cheeks as she looked back and forth between Gordon, Cas, and Dean. She appeared flustered. "He couldn't…"

Cas tilted his head. "If Luthor captured you now, what do you think _we_ would do?" he challenged, indicating himself, Dean and Benny.

Nia just shrugged her shoulders, wiping the back of her hand across her wet cheek.

"We'd charge in there swinging and we wouldn't stop until we brought you home," Dean answered for her.

Cas nodded. "Dean is correct. I would too."

"So would I," Benny added.

Nia gave them each a long, bewildered look before looking back at Gordon. "I was there for long time. You should have come for me," she accused quietly.

"Not my style, sweetheart."

"You'd better go," she whispered. "I don't want Dean to kill you."

Gordon snorted and looked like he was about to make a smartass remark but thought the better of it. He retreated backwards to the edge of the clearing with his hands in the air before turning and walking briskly away.

Dean let out a sigh that almost sounded like a growl. "That's one son of a bitch who'd better hope I never see him again."

"We should roll," Benny pointed out. "The more distance we put between us and him the better."

Dean agreed and ushered them all out of the clearing. Nia walked in silence next to Cas for hours, her face pensive and troubled. Finally she stopped and looked up at him. "Would you really?" she asked. "Come for me?"

"If Luthor had you? Yes," Cas said sincerely. "And you should know it has nothing to do with me earning my redemption for my past mistakes. I…" He suddenly grew uncomfortable and had no idea why. He used to feel this way when Meg would tease him about his supposed affection for her while she was watching out for him at the psychiatric facility. "I care about you, Nia," he said truthfully. "I enjoy your company and I believe we share a bond and… and I consider you my friend."

She smiled at him and his mind was suddenly overcome with thoughts of how sweet she looked… how pretty she was. His traitorous thoughts inevitably flashed back to the image of her bathing and he cleared his throat sharply. "Uh, we should keep walking."

As he turned to head down the grassy path in order catch up with Dean and Benny, she fell in next to him and slipped her hand in his. "I care about you too," she said simply.

**~X~X~X~X~**

_**A/N:**__ Lol, I would never have actually made the worm come out of Dean's ass but I couldn't resist having Nia point out the possibility. After all, in the Episode 'And Then There Were None', when they had Bobby's ears duct-taped to keep the worm from escaping, my mind couldn't help but ask "do they have his butt taped too?" Yes, like Dean, I have the maturity of a twelve year old. Please review :D_


	7. A Host of Dancing Daffodils

**Chapter 7 – A Host of Dancing Daffodils**

The monsters of Purgatory were coming at the traveling foursome in herds and packs. They still came across the odd solitary wanderer but more often than not, the monsters they met were groups out specifically hunting for the hugely sought-after humans and their angel companion.

As Cas pressed his hand to the forehead of a terrified Djinn and sent the lights of its soul exploding beneath its skin, he heard a now-familiar cry beside him. Turning his head, he watched as Nia used a fallen tree trunk to launch herself onto the back of another Djinn, plunging her blade deep into its back. She leapt off quickly, scampering out of reach to watch with a pleased smile on her face while it staggered around, screaming in pain and trying frantically to reach the blade and pull it out. The angel wondered briefly why Dean and Benny seemed to think of her as a child when she was clearly anything but.

Benny rose up stiffly from where he had been knocked down and gave her a thankful nod before putting the thing out of its misery by decapitating it with one clean sweep of his machete.

"Much obliged, Lil' Bit."

She beamed back at the vampire. If he hadn't been so weary from a day full of smiting, Cas would have smiled at the exchange as he moved away to kill his fourth monster.

Dean finished off the one he was fighting with a tired grunt, stepping back quickly as a spray of blood shot up towards his face. He looked over at the others, panting while Cas dropped the last of the Djinn. "Everybody still standing?" he queried.

If Cas thought life in Purgatory for his human friends had been violent and savage during the first few months, it had become far more so in the ones that followed. Word of not one but _two_ flesh and blood humans plus a real life angel roaming free in this land of twisted, dark souls was spreading at an exponential rate. With nothing but an eternity of ageless existence and pointless fighting among themselves to look forward to, more and more monsters were trying their luck at getting a piece of the three novelties. The two or three fights a day had turned into six or seven then increased to more than a dozen, always with multiple foes. Getting sufficient sleep was becoming more and more difficult for the three who needed it as nighttime attacks became more frequent also.

Even through the brave faces they put on, Cas noticed the effect the constant state of peril was having on his friends and grew increasingly concerned. They were on edge almost all the time with very little chance to relax. Even during rest breaks and in the evenings around camp, they were tense and jumpy and always ready to spring into action. Weary lines and dark circles appeared beneath their eyes and their unguarded expressions were often ones of exhaustion.

The angel also observed with great admiration that despite the situation, all three of them managed to remain in good spirits much of the time. Nia walked and even joked with both Dean and Benny, her delightful smile frequently lighting up her face. Cas often found himself watching her as they traveled without even realizing he was doing so, looking forward to hearing her infectious laughter and hoping for one of those brief moments when she would turn her head to catch a glimpse of him and flash him a private smile. He couldn't explain the feeling it gave him other than calling it a pleasant warmth inside his chest.

He was pleased to see Nia's comfort with the other two men increase dramatically over the months that followed the incident with the Kahn worm, but was privately (and perhaps a tad shamefully) satisfied that the tiny human still seemed to favor him over Dean and Benny. Despite the hunter's friendly teasing and the vampire's pet-name of 'Little Bit' that had now been affectionately shortened to 'Bit', it was still Cas she hovered near during fights. It was still Cas she spent most of the long days walking next to. It was still Cas she curled up next to at night whenever he was able to sit within the camp and keep watch at the same time, pressing herself right up against him for warmth.

The foursome had been traveling together for four months before she extended that same trust to Dean. It had been a particularly cold week and one night Cas stood watch at the far edge of camp in a spot that made a suitable vantage point but was exposed to the bitter wind. Despite his powers still not having fully returned, the angel was not affected by the weather but Nia huddled as best she could in the shelter of an uprooted tree, hugging her knees for warmth while Dean griped out loud about the cold where he lay on his back under the low-lying leaves of a fruit-bearing bush. It was with great surprise that Cas watched Nia crawl over to the hunter and curl up next to him. Shock registered on Dean's face but he didn't say anything and simply lifted his arm to let her snuggle closer against his side. Both were asleep within minutes.

Cas had watched them that night with mixed feelings. He should be pleased at the bond they were forming – he knew this. It was clearly platonic. With Nia, Dean did not act like he had with attractive women back in Earth's realm. He did not give her lustful looks and his temperature did not rise when she was in his 'personal space'. Dean's heartbeat did not speed up when Nia took her jacket off in hot weather and traveled in the tank top she wore beneath it. Nia also did not show any signs of interest other than friendship towards the hunter.

Not that it should matter, he reminded himself.

Cas knew enough to see that it was not Dean's affections aimed elsewhere that bothered him, but Nia's. Cas felt great love for Dean and felt a closer bond to him than he ever had with another with the possible exception of God, but he did not find himself craving the hunter's touch. He relished conversations with Dean and would die for him without a second's thought but did not find himself dwelling on memories of the times he had seen his friend with no shirt on. The teachings of the Pizza man did not drift into Cas's thoughts when he was thinking of Dean.

He could not say the same for the times he was thinking of Nia which, much to the angel's disconcertion, were quite frequent. He wondered if the attraction he was feeling was being intensified by the fact that his grace had not fully repaired itself. He knew it was not his vessel's doing because Jimmy had been completely dormant and utterly lost to awareness ever since Cas had taken in the souls from Purgatory and been taken over by the Leviathan. Though he would never admit it to Dean, Cas had felt a strong attraction to Meg the demon back in the psychiatric facility, both physically and on a spiritual level. It was unlike any he had felt before and it had perplexed him because he did not believe angels were susceptible to such feelings. What he felt for Meg had been similar but not nearly as overwhelming and distracting as what he was feeling these days for the smallest human in their ragtag group.

**~X~X~X~X~**

It had been over eight months since Cas and Dean had arrived in Purgatory and almost six months since they had begun their travels as a group of four towards the land where Benny had been told contained the door back home. It was midday when they arrived at a well-known Purgatory landmark commonly referred to as the three-forked waterfall. Nia stood at the edge of a steep drop-off, her hair wet from the heavy spray and plastered to the side of her face.

She threw her arms in the air and squealed in delight, tilting her head back and spinning in the heavy spray. "Cas!" she hollered, loud enough to be heard over the thunderous roar of the giant falls. "Isn't it beautiful?!"

Cas smiled and nodded as he peered past her at the majestic sight beyond. "It certainly is."

Dean chuckled and elbowed the angel in the side. "She's talking about the waterfall, Romeo."

Cas shuffled his feet uncomfortably, fairly certain he was being made fun of. "So was I," he defended.

Benny was smiling as he came to stand next to Nia, his hand tousling her wet locks. "Ain't you a treasure," he said fondly.

Nia hooked an elbow through the vampire's and turned back to look at the waterfall with him. "I've never seen anything so beautiful," she said excitedly.

Dean let out a quiet snort from where he and Cas stood behind the other two. "Kinda makes you wonder why God would make something so spectacular and dump it here, in frigging Purgatory," he remarked sourly.

"There is beauty in all of God's creations," Cas answered simply. "It is a matter of perception. You just have to know where to look."

The hunter rolled his eyes. "You in a philosophical mood, Cas?" he chuckled. "Just lookin' for a heads up coz if you are, I'll move on up and walk with Benny and you can ramble all you like to your lovestruck girlfriend."

Cas frowned. "Nia is not my girlfriend. It is true she clearly favors me over you or Benny, but…"

Dean let out a burst of genuine laughter. "Yeah, I still haven't figured out that one yet."

The four stood in silence for a moment, taking in the sight and enjoying the brief, peaceful respite from Purgatory's ugliness.

"Upstream or downstream?" Nia asked finally, directing the question to Benny.

"Neither, Bit," the vampire answered, pointing to the shallow water beyond the huge pool at the base of the falls. "We gotta go across."

Her eyes widened and she gasped. "No! We can't go over there! That's… that's Luthor's territory!"

Cas recalled some of the information he had dug up while he had been searching for Nia all those months ago. "Luthor rules the lands from the three-forked waterfall to the plains," he supplied out loud.

Nia nodded. "That's right," she said, sounding panicked. "So we can't go over there."

"We have to, Nia," Dean told her, his voice full of sympathy and understanding. "If we wanna get out of Purgatory, we have to."

She shook her head again, the look on her face reading pure terror. "No," was all she said. "No. No. No."

"We ain't gonna let him get his hands on you again," Benny tried to assure her.

She remained adamant. "We go _around_ Luthor."

Cas shook his head. "To the left of Luthor's territory is a vast expanse of water with such multitude of deadly creatures in its depths we would not last a day if we tried to traverse it by boat." He frowned before adding sardonically "If we were even able to build such a boat. The lands to the right are the very heartlands of the Leviathan. There would be far too many of them and we would all be slaughtered in a matter of hours."

"Better than going there!" Nia fired back fiercely, pointing across the wide river.

"Nia," Dean took a step towards her, his tone soft. "We need to get out of this place. The way things are going…" He shook his head and exhaled slowly. "We're not going to last much longer if we don't get the Hell out of Purgatory. Don't you see that? You want Benny to get killed? Or me? Or Cas? Coz that's what gonna happen if we stick around here. It's just a matter of time, sweetheart. Please."

Nia was visibly trembling but she stared in turn at Dean, Benny, then finally at Cas. The angel remained silent as he watched a hard swallow make its way down her throat and the welling up of the water in her lower eyelids spill over. She was looking directly at him when she nodded.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Atta girl," Benny grinned, ruffling her hair again.

"Don't worry, Nia," Dean assured her. "We'll be across Luthor's turf before you know it. That bastard won't even know we were here."

Cas doubted his friend's words but remained silent.

**~X~X~X~X~**

At least first few days within Luthor's territory went without major incident. Most of their attackers were vampire, however, and it was a given that if Luthor didn't know they were here yet, he would very soon. The group traveled closely together and tried to leave as little trail to follow as possible. They moved quickly, stopping only when necessary and pushing themselves to near exhaustion every day.

The celestial powers Castiel had lost as a result of possessed Dean performing the angel banishing spell on him were almost back in full swing. He had recovered most of his smiting ability and his capacity to heal himself, but his angel-transport powers had not yet returned. Cas was inclined to believe they never would. It made scouting ahead and watching for approaching enemies much more difficult and he worried he would let his friends down. This was a dangerous place to be for all three of them, even by Purgatory standards.

Benny was, as Dean had phrased it, 'on Luthor's shitlist' for attempting to steal Nia over a year ago. The vampire in their little group had somehow rediscovered his humanity before being beheaded and his soul sent to Purgatory. As a result, he had found Luthor's pack far too violent and savage for his liking and had not made many friends among them even before his act of treachery in trying to rob the head vampire of his human prize.

Dean would presumably not hold any sexual appeal to Luthor, though Cas did not know for certain this was the case, but the hunter would be considered quite a trophy nonetheless. Word had spread quickly that the identity of the new human in Purgatory was none other than Dean Winchester. Luthor was a fairly recent arrival in Purgatory, his rise to power being a result of his impressive lineage and savagery more than a matter of 'putting in his time' and working his way up. In unfortunate irony, the vengeful leader had been sent here by John Winchester with Samuel Colt's infamous supernatural gun. This made Dean a highly sought after target for more than just the taste of his blood.

Then there was Nia. Cas had seen how close she was to losing her tenuous grip on sanity when he had first found her. The horrors she had experienced at Luthor's hands had caused her to withdraw into herself so completely she had almost lost herself in there, a savagery of her own surfacing to protect her both physically and emotionally. The angel shuddered at the thought of the vampire getting his hands on her again and made a silent vow he would not let this happen. She had trusted him enough to follow him in here and although he did not understand her faith in him, he would not let her down.

It was just a few nights into Luthor's territory that the young woman surprised the angel with a confession of feelings and unexpected physical contact. Dean had teased relentlessly about Nia's 'crush' on the angel but Cas had simply ignored him, realizing the type of physical relationship he was jokingly implying would not be possible. After all, Castiel was an angel trying to repent for an enormous multitude of sins – it seemed only fitting he try his hardest to remain above such debasing, primal urges that humans engaged in. Also, though Nia had never spoken of what had happened to her when she had been held captive by Luthor, it was clear she was not comfortable with intimate displays of physical contact as a result. It had taken her weeks before she was able to hold his hand and months before she would even allow the other two to come close to her without lashing out. Granted, she had come a long way since and was now willing to curl up next to any of the three men for warmth as she slept, but she had seemed to draw the line there.

It was a warm night and Cas was on lookout with Nia while Dean and Benny slept, all four sheltered by a grassy hill and huddled in close to each other for protection. Cas and Nia sat on the ground with their legs stretched out before them, enjoying the silence and the rare peace this night had given them so far. She had her head tilted and leaning against his arm when she suddenly straightened up to give him a curious look.

"Is there anyone in there with you?"

"Are you referring to my vessel?"

She nodded.

He shook his head. "My vessel was fatally wounded and wants to pass on. My grace is the only thing keeping his body alive. His soul is still in here but it is dormant. I used to feel him but since I let the Purgatory souls and the Leviathan inside, he has completely shut down. There is nothing of him left. His soul is tucked away in oblivion within this body, simply waiting for me to vacate it so he can move on to Heaven."

"What's his name?"

"James… Jimmy Novak."

Nia looked thoughtful for a long minute. "So he's not awake and he's not ever taking his body back?"

Cas shook his head, sympathy and guilt welling up inside him for all he had cost the devout young man his vessel had been. He was shaken out of the melancholy train of thought when Nia suddenly rose to her knees and lifted one leg over his, straddling his lap and sitting down on his legs with her face just inches from his.

"That means this body is yours then," she said, not phrasing it as a question.

"Uhh…" Cas stammered, not sure why he was so flustered. "Yes, I suppose so," he managed. "Nia, what are you doing?"

Her small hands cupped his face softly. "Can I kiss you?" she asked bluntly. Nia had never been one to dance around her point.

Cas was at a loss for a reply. He remembered kissing the demon Meg and how much he had enjoyed the sensations but… but Nia was everything Meg wasn't. "Why?" he asked, not even realizing at the time that he was nodding his head.

She didn't reply but simply leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Ever so lightly, ever so tenderly, and just for a single heartbeat before she withdrew.

Cas felt his breath quicken. "That was nothing like the pizza man's," he whispered, instantly regretting his idiotic choice of response for such an intimate occasion. He could almost hear Dean's sarcastic words berating him. '_Smooth, dude. Real smooth_.' It was true, however. Nia's kiss had felt nothing like his 'pizza man kiss' but strangely, it had even more affect on his physical state than the forceful tonguing he had given Meg.

"I just wanted to see what it was like," Nia breathed, sounding shy though still sitting in his lap with her fingers resting lightly on the sensitive skin beneath his ears.

"And?" Cas wondered aloud, his insides still fluttering. How was one tiny touch of the lips having such a profound effect on him?

She smiled timidly. "I like you, Cas. I like us." She jerked her head towards the sleeping pair lying a few feet away to include them. "I like all of us… together." She smiled at him. "But I like you most. I like you… different."

Cas floundered for a reply. Should he admit his feelings also? He was an angel. He could love - he had figured that much out already with Dean - but could he love in a romantic sense? Some inner part of him was yelling that this was not fair to Nia, reminding him that he wasn't going back topside and that they would be parting soon. He decided to stop this before it went any further but his words betrayed him. "Could we do that one more time?" he heard himself saying.

She nodded but made no move so Cas leaned his head forward, slanting it slightly to press his lips against hers, his arms wrapping around her small form.

This time was even more magnificent than the last. His insides caught fire and his mind reeled, blocking out all thoughts that didn't involve the tiny human on his lap. He parted his lips ever so slightly and felt her tongue running along his lower one. She moved against him and pressed more firmly, finally slipping her tongue inside for a delightful flicker or two before pulling away again.

He was surprised to find he had closed his eyes and he opened them now to find her smiling, her amber eyes sparkling at him. Her chest was moving with fast breaths and her hands gripped his shoulders tightly.

Cas was about to thank her and tell her how much he enjoyed that when a groan sounded from the sleeping hunter just a few feet away. "Oh God, tell me I'm not going to have to chaperone you two from now on," Dean grumbled. "No hanky panky when I'm in the room, capish?"

Cas cleared his throat and Nia hopped off his lap instantly, sitting back on the ground next to him and using his larger body to hide bashfully from the hunter. She linked her arm in Cas's and rested her head against his shoulder, a small giggle escaping her lips.

"Sorry," Cas mumbled, feeling his cheeks flush.

Dean just snorted and rolled so he was facing the other way.

**~X~X~X~X~**

It was two days later before the hunter brought the incident up. He was sitting next to Cas in the camp they had selected for last night. Benny had gone hunting with Nia since they had a rule now that nobody was to ever be alone.

"About the other night," Dean began, clearly uneasy about the topic. "That thing with Nia…"

"I apologize," Cas said quickly. "It was not my intention to make you uncomfortable."

Dean shook his head. "Nah, Cas, I'm alright with it. I mean, I don't get it but… well it's not like I'm her dad or anything."

Cas frowned, finding that an odd thing to say. "She is an adult, Dean."

"I know, I know, I'm not saying she isn't. I mean, she's probably more… grown-up than you in some ways." He sighed. "I'm okay with you and her… whatever you're doing," he continued. "I'm just saying that she's been through a lot and you gotta understand this would hurt her if you, you know, if you don't feel the same way back."

The frown still on Cas's face deepened. "I do," he admitted truthfully. "I like her very much. She is less complicated than most humans. She says what she means and I understand her. But… but I am aware that I am not good for her. I have brought much pain and hurt to those who have befriended me and when…" He cut himself off, alarmed that he had almost let slip that he was not returning through the door with the rest of them.

Dean apparently didn't catch the slip-up. "Cas, you screwed up, alright, but that was yesterday. Blank page here, man. If there's one good thing to come out of this hellhole, it's that things are clearer and… and the shit from the past got wiped away in all the blood we've seen here. I forgave Sam for Ruby and Lucifer and I forgive you for breaking that wall in his head and for the whole 'I am God' thing. That's what family does, Cas. We argue, we fight, but we have each other's backs and we forgive each other when we screw up."

"Thank-you, Dean." Dean's forgiveness meant a lot to Cas and the fact that Dean just called him family was not lost on him. He thought perhaps he finally understood the meaning and power in that word.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, lost in their thoughts though listening intently to the forest around them for sounds of enemies as always. But it was clear Dean hadn't said his piece yet for he brought up the subject of Nia once more.

"Uh, if you two, you know, take things further," he blurted awkwardly, "don't do what the pizza man did, 'kay?"

Cas gave him a puzzled look. "I thought women liked what he did. Especially what he did with his tongue in her…"

"Dude!" Dean cut him off sharply. "That's a mental image I don't need to associate with you and Nia." He shuddered visibly. "What I'm trying to say is, in that movie, the pizza man was a little... rough, and some women like that, eventually, but…"

Dean shifted in obvious discomfort but Cas was eager to hear the advice so he remained silent and waited for the hunter to continue.

"Just go slow with her and let her lead," Dean finally explained. "And be gentle. No matter how bad you want to… take it up a notch, just be gentle."

"Don't order off the menu?" Cas offered, remembering Dean's words of advice before sending the angel off with Chastity.

"Definitely don't order off the menu. Unless she asks you to."

Cas nodded though he was still confused as to what constituted 'the menu'. "Thank-you for the advice, Dean," he said solemnly.

"Don't mention it."

There was a pause.

"I mean seriously, Cas, don't mention it. As in don't ever mention this conversation again or I'll kill you."

Cas was about to assure his friend he wouldn't when a prayer from Nia sounded in his head.

"_Cas!"_

He jumped to his feet. She was terrified. He concentrated for a second to figure out which direction she was in and started running, Dean close on his heels.

"What's goin' on, Cas?" Dean asked urgently as they ran.

As if in reply, Nia's prayers explained what was going on.

"_Vamps!"_ she prayed, her voice panicked and her fear hitting Cas like a sledgehammer. _"Twenty, maybe more! They got Benny. There attacked us but there were too many and we ran but there were more and he told me to hide and he led them away but I can see down the hill and they got him. They got him! Help! I don't know what to do! There's just too many! Please come quick!"_

Frustrated he couldn't pray back to answer her, Cas picked up his pace and hoped Nia would do as Benny had instructed and stay hidden until he and Dean could get there.

"What the Hell's going on?" Dean repeated, even more urgently.

Cas didn't bother to look back as he answered him. "The vampires have Benny."

**~X~X~X~X~**

_**A/N:**__ I know this wasn't the most action-packed chapter but hopefully the next will make up for it. Also hope you are liking Cas and Nia together – odd pairing I know but the two of them are both worldly and childlike in their own ways. I have to say sorry again for the huge delay – this time I think I have finally caught up and am back on track with posting. RL is sorted and running smoothly again… finally! Hope I wasn't gone too long and everybody's still interested in the story. I won't leave you hanging again so long, I promise._


	8. The Belly of the Beast

_**Previously**__: The group has to cross Luthor's territory to get to the door, despite Nia's terrified objections. They are a few days in when she and Benny are hunting and are attacked by twenty or so vampires. Benny tells Nia to hide and he gets captured. Nia prays to Cas to come help – Cas and Dean run to find her._

**Chapter 8 – The Belly of the Beast**

With Dean right behind him, Cas barely slowed down as he killed the three vampires they came across on their way to Nia. They found her near the top of a hill where she had crawled into a dug-out den made by a Gogmagog, or at least that is what the foul stench and the coughed-up hairball implied. Cas determined the lingering scent of the 'gorilla-wolf' had no doubt masked Nia's human smell from the roaming vampires and kept her safe, at least temporarily.

"Nia," he called as they reached her.

She immediately crawled out, her face as terrified and distraught as the tone of her prayers had been. "Cas!" she gasped, running to him and clutching the sleeve of his tattered trench coat. She started tugging him towards the steep slope ahead. "They got Benny. We have to get him back."

"Damn right," said Dean fiercely, gripping the weapon in his hand and moving in the direction she was indicating.

Cas stood his ground. "Wait," he said sharply. "The forest is teeming with vampires. I think it best you both retreat and I will follow the ones who took Benny."

Dean shook his head. "Too risky. If you lose the trail, he's dead. He can't pray to you, remember?"

It was true that Castiel was only able to hear human prayers, most likely a feature built-into angels by God upon the creation of man in an effort to better facilitate their 'shepherding'.

"Besides, there's too many for you, Cas," the hunter added. "You don't have the juice you had back home. You could maybe take on ten, fifteen tops."

"I can track," Cas explained.

"You don't need to," Nia interjected. "I know where they're going."

"What? How? Where?" demanded Dean.

She swallowed and her hands were shaking. "I saw Dagur. He's Luthor's top soldier. He's taking him to Luthor's nest."

Cas saw Dean's face blanch at the news. "Shit, Cas! Luthor wants Benny dead. We gotta go get him!"

The angel frowned. "Why did they not kill him as soon as they found him? Some monsters have attempted to capture you two alive but all of them, without exception, have tried to kill Benny. He holds no value to them alive. Luthor's bounty only requires Benny's head as proof for reward."

"They wanted to know where us three were and when Benny spit in his face, Dagur said that Luthor would enjoy getting the information out of him." Nia's voice was barely more than a whisper at this point.

Cas looked back and forth between his two humans. Going into Luthor's nest was akin to suicide but he could tell Dean was two seconds away from charging through the trees after his friend. It occurred to him that they didn't actually need Benny anymore for he had told the group everything he knew about the door's location less than a month after they had started traveling together, claiming that if he didn't survive the journey, he didn't want them to be stuck here. Cas felt guilty even thinking the thought and refrained from voicing it out loud. Benny was loyal and Benny was a friend. In fact, Cas even considered the Louisiana vampire 'family' in Dean's non-literal use of the word.

"They have too much of a head start," he said gravely. "You will not be able to catch up with them." Vampires were near tireless compared to the two humans who stood before him. "I will go alone." He turned to Dean, using the hunter's protective nature against him in an effort to get him to comply. "Get Nia out of this area. There are too many vampires here and word will spread quickly this is where Benny was captured. They will be looking for her and I think it goes without saying we cannot let her be captured."

"Wait, Cas..."

"Just go!" Cas said more sternly. Dean was usually the one to give the orders, such as where to camp and which route to take when a choice was available, but there were still times when Cas would not obey his friend and this was definitely one of those times. As Dean had on the few previous times Cas had lowered his voice and looked Dean in the eye with unwavering intensity, the normally defiant hunter backed down and obeyed.

Dean nodded and placed a hand on Nia's shoulder to guide her back in the direction they had come. "Be careful," he rasped.

Nia said nothing but her face was an even mixture of fear and sadness as she allowed Dean to steer her away. Her head turned with her movements and she held her amber eyes locked on Cas until he disappeared down the hill.

**~X~X~X~X~**

Cas knew a lone rescue had been a long shot but he attempted it anyway. With his celestially-enhanced speed, he caught up with the vampires dragging a bleeding and unconscious Benny swiftly through the woods and attacked from the rear, taking two down before they even noticed he was there. Stealth had given him a jumpstart but it wasn't enough and within two minutes, Cas was staggering on his feet and his vision was blurring. He had lost count after smiting his fifteenth vampire but either Nia had been mistaken in her count or more had joined the group since for there were still twenty or more coming at him through the trees. He stood his ground over Benny's still form for as long as he could but it soon became clear he was outmatched.

He was left with the choice to either die here with Benny and leave Dean and Nia alone to fend for themselves in Purgatory, or retreat and try again once his strength had replenished. A disturbing image of both Dean and Nia in Luthor's clutches made the choice for him.

He turned and ran.

**~X~X~X~X~**

It was over two hours before Cas found Dean and Nia. They had left the immediate area but had clearly been reluctant to go far because they were hunkered down on the opposite shore of a wide, shallow river, having hoped the water would erase the scent of their trail if any vampires had picked up on it.

The angel was weak and unsteady on his feet as he waded across the river towards them. Dean was at his side before he made it halfway across, wedging himself under Cas's shoulder and supporting him to the far bank. It wasn't until they reached the pebbled shore and Cas dropped heavily to his knees with exhaustion that the hunter posed the question.

"Benny?" he queried, his voice choked with trepidation.

Cas shook his head, trying in vain to stop swaying. "I couldn't… there were too many…"

"Is he…?" Dean didn't finish the question.

"He's alive," Cas assured him through broken breaths. "Nia was right. They are taking him to Luthor." He felt his cheek impact the pebbles when he hit the ground and barely heard Nia crying out his name before everything went black.

**~X~X~X~X~**

Cas woke up to find himself alone with Nia, his head cradled in her lap. He opened his eyes and looked around before sitting up sharply, feeling both weak and disoriented. "Where is Dean?" he demanded worriedly. Surely the hunter had not gone after Benny alone.

"Right here," came the hunter's deep voice as he came into view, striding down a narrow animal-trail through the trees. He crouched down a few feet away, weapon gripped tightly in his fist and new spatters of blood on his jacket. "I found a few strays and stragglers," he announced, his voice grim. "Seems Luthor's nest is rallying and everybody's been sent for, told to head on over there. Bastard's gonna make a show of killing Benny if he doesn't tell them where Luthor's prize toy is."

Dean's eyes flashed to Nia very briefly, his look both troubled and determined. He gave her a halfhearted smile. "Don't worry, Ni. Benny won't say anything."

"Then they'll kill him," she whispered, not sounding appeased.

Cas squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, trying in vain to rid himself of the terrible headache he had. "They want you, too, Dean," he reminded his friend. "This is not just about Nia."

Dean nodded. "I know," he grumbled. "Hell, they can have me but they ain't getting Nia and they ain't killing Benny."

Cas knew Dean well enough to know his words were not empty bravado. Dean would give himself up without a second thought if it meant saving his friend and traveling companion. Fortunately, the hunter would not give up his fellow human. Cas was fairly certain Benny wouldn't either, which didn't bode well for the loyal vampire's chances of surviving the night.

"We shall rescue him," the angel said bluntly, having no idea yet how they were going to accomplish that feat. "Only…" he sighed. "There are perhaps a hundred vampires in the nest and we don't know where they will be holding Benny. A search will be dangerous."

"They'll have him tied up in the arena," Nia offered, her voice still barely a whisper.

"The arena?" Dean gave her a skeptical look, no doubt picturing the likes of the fictional Spartacus and the gladiators of the Roman era.

She nodded. "Luthor's nest is mostly caves," she explained. "A whole maze of them in the side of a big rocky hill. But there's a spot out front of the hill that he uses for entertainment. A big clearing in the trees. Everybody can see…" She closed her eyes and shuddered. "Everybody can see what happens there. Luthor likes… he'll want everyone to watch."

Dean rubbed a hand down over his chin. "Crap. If there's a hundred vamps all around this arena watching, then we got no chance." He looked at Cas. "You're not at full smiting power and after your little fairy princess fainting spell this afternoon…"

Cas knew Dean's teasing remark was not meant as a criticism but simply the hunter's way of coping with the gravity of the situation.

"We will need a distraction," Cas supplied. "Something to lure the majority of them away."

"That sounds like my cue." Dean managed a lopsided smirk. "I'm naturally distracting."

Cas shook his head. "No, I should do it."

"No, you get in there and free Benny," Dean countered. "I'll lead them away."

"And how will you evade a hundred vampires chasing you through the woods?" Cas challenged.

"Run," Dean shrugged. "Run fast."

Cas was about to refute the insanely stupid plan when Nia spoke up. "Both of you distract and I'll sneak in and get Benny."

The men fell silent, shocked that she would even suggest going in herself. After the brief moment of stunned silence, the two of them shook their heads emphatically.

"No, you stay here," Dean said firmly.

"He's my friend too," she argued.

"Yes but you…" Dean hesitated and his voice softened before he continued his thought. "You got a history with Luthor that I'm not about to let you repeat. Benny wouldn't want that."

"That won't happen," she told them. "I trust you and Cas. You distract them. I know the caves and the rocks and the paths. Luthor used to take me around when... when… to show off." She averted her eyes briefly. "I can sneak Benny out that way. I can help."

Cas didn't want either of the humans to go anywhere near Luthor's nest but he knew they would not leave Benny to die and he knew he could not rescue the vampire alone.

Dean must have come to a similar conclusion about needing Nia's help for he clenched his fists and rolled his shoulders before nodding. "Alright," he conceded grudgingly. "We're gonna need that back way out. But I'm coming with you."

As the three discussed the details their rescue plan, Cas realized with a frown that the nauseous feeling he had inside the pit of his stomach was actually worry for his friends. He had been in countless battles over the millennia and never once before had he felt this way. He looked in turn at Dean and Nia. Of course, never once before had the stakes been so high.

**~X~X~X~X~**

There were only a few hours of daylight left so the small group of rescuers had to work fast. The embodiments of vampire souls didn't necessarily sleep during the day as they had tended to do in life, but they were certainly reinvigorated and far more energetic at night. This was the reason the threesome believed Benny had some time to spare – Luthor would wait until dark for the big, decapitating finale. It was also the reason the vampires would be harder to tackle at night, especially with a mob frenzy lusting for a kill.

Cas took about an hour to replenish his strength after his 'fainting spell'. As soon as he was strong enough, he swam the deep eddies and sidepools of the river until he found a Makara and killed it. Makara were supernatural aquatic creatures that were only known topside to come ashore once a decade to feed. Nia had learned from her time with Gordon Walker that their rank, scaled hides would mask her human scent from other vampires quite effectively, even in close quarters. Being both large and extremely vicious, she had not had the ability to appropriate a hide during her time alone. For Cas, killing one was surely going to prove to be the easiest part of his day.

Dean skinned the hide for them quickly and with admirable skill, having watched Benny skin a few hundred Hakredin and fish for food over the past months. He cut it into three and Nia fashioned them into somewhat wearable shapes to drape over their clothes.

"Well we won't exactly blend with the crowd," Dean mumbled skeptically as he pulled his hide overtop his jacket.

"Not visually, no," Cas agreed. "But vampires rely heavily on scent and it is my belief that their attention will be focused on the happenings in the arena as we approach. Together with the Greenjin herb, we should avoid immediate detection as human and angel."

"We kill vamps we find on the way," Nia said simply. "Put their coats over us. Their coats don't stink like humans."

"Okay then amigos," Dean shrugged, giving his weapon one last scrape with the sharpening stone and tucking his smaller knife away in his jeans. "We still got a couple of hours' walk ahead of us so let's roll."

**~X~X~X~X~**

Benny was in bad shape. Cas hadn't realized just how fond of the vampire he had become until he peered through the crowd and felt his heart jolt at the sight of him tied to a heavy post near the middle of the clearing he presumed was 'the arena'. Surrounded by jeering vampires, Benny's head hung limply on his chest and his clothes were sporting far too many new bloodstains to be healthy, even for a vampire. At first thinking he was unconscious, Cas began to rethink their plan before he saw Benny lift his head enough to snarl at the vampire standing next to him. The vampire laughed at the unfriendly gesture and proceeded to jab Benny in the ribs with the sharp, thin blade he was holding.

"Just tell us where they are and where you are all headed in such a hurry," the vampire hissed at his prisoner, speaking loudly to be heard over Benny's sharp cry of pain. "Then this can all be over."

"Stop yer dilly-dallying and just do it, you coward," Benny spat defiantly.

Not needing to see any more, Cas slipped back to where Dean and Nia were waiting on the outer fringes of the crowd and nodded. "It is as we expected," he informed them. "He is near the middle of the clearing. He is hurt but alive." Cas tilted his head. "Well, alive being a relative term when used to describe him since he is vampire and therefore, technically dead… twice dead, actually since he is in Purg…."

"Fires now, philosophy later, Cas," Dean said, gripping his shoulder to indicate the urgency to get moving. The hunter looked down at Nia and his expression grew serious. "You sure you're up for this, sweetheart?" he asked. "I won't hold it against you if you're not."

She took the large machete Dean was handing her, one of the ones they had appropriated from Gordon Walker that Benny had started using. She swallowed but gave Dean a nod.

Cas watched while Dean leaned forward, tilting his head downward to plant a small kiss on her forehead. "Stay behind me, you hear? If anything goes wrong, just split. If they spot us, you just run as fast as you can and don't stop. We'll figure out another way to get Benny, 'kay?"

She nodded again and her eyes flitted to Cas as Dean stepped away. The angel could see the fear in them but she also bore a look of determination and bravery. Cas very much wanted to do as Dean had done, to kiss her softly as a demonstration of fondness in light of the dire situation, but the hunter seemed to make these small gestures of intimacy and friendship look far easier and more natural than they came to Cas. He hesitated and started to lean forward, then hesitated again, then pursed his lips and shuffled his feet, and finally just stuck his hand out for her to shake. He noticed Dean's eye roll in his peripheral as Nia took the angel's offered hand and used it to pull herself closer to him. She rose up onto her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Stay safe," she said softly in his ear before pulling back, turning, and beckoning to Dean to follow her into the trees.

"Uh, yeah," Dean smirked, giving Cas a slap on the shoulder. "What she said."

They turned and were gone.

Cas immediately set out to do his part. He was to create the distraction. Gaining the full attention of close to a hundred vampires would not be easy and he hoped he had the 'angel-juice' left in his depleted reserves to complete the task. He waited a few minutes to let Dean and Nia get into position then moved a little closer to the crowd, coming right up behind the few hanging near the back.

When he thought the time was just right, he burst into action. He threw his arm upwards, hurtling his angel powers out in that direction to ignite the air above him. A bright plume of flame lit the sky, setting fire to the tops of the trees before it quickly burned out.

"Dragon!" he deadpanned loudly as nearby vampires turned to see what was going on. "Dragon!" His purpose was to incite panic but a few gasps and wary looks was all he got.

He wasn't doing this right. He frowned and tried again. He darted out of sight from the previous vampires and shot another plume of smoke into the air, this one twice the size.

"Oh crap! A dragon!" he cried, more loudly and adding an edge of panic to his voice, his best attempt at mimicking a fearful human.

To his satisfaction, it seemed to work better this time. There was a flurry of activity from the vampires who had spun around to see what was going on. Gasps and fearful shouts rang out.

"Oh my God!" he yelled, feeling incredibly awkward at using his Father's name in vain, even if it was false vain, but doing it anyway. "They're coming! Dragons are coming!"

He moved around the edge of the crowd swiftly, igniting more trees and inciting more panic as the spectators started moving nervously and cries of confusion echoed among them. Cas hoped they would panic enough not to notice there were no large reptiles in the sky and the fire was actually shooting upward, not downward.

He was starting to get the hang of the shouting and running thing. "They're roasting all of us!" he screamed as he ran from a blast of fire that had ignited a full tree behind him, waving his arms in the air wildly. He kept moving in an effort to both incite panic but remain anonymous at the same time, a feat not easily accomplished. "They're roasting all of us! Run! Get out of here! Take cover!"

By the time the vampires started shouting and running every which way looking for cover from a fictitious enemy, Cas was almost having fun. "Run! Run! Holy fuck!" he yelled without thinking but the last words almost caught in his throat. That did not feel right. He had heard Dean use the phrase many times but… He apologized under his breath to God and continued on without the use of blasphemy.

Dragons may be extinct in Earth realm but here in Purgatory, they were feared more than any other creature with the exception of the Leviathan. Dragons fed indiscriminately upon any and all creatures and monsters, whether humanoid or beastly, terrestrial or aquatic. Dragons were the reason most of the monsters of Purgatory dwelled in the forests and used the trees for cover.

Finally he received a prayer from Dean letting him know that he and Nia had reached Benny and were untying him. Cas stole a glance towards the center of the clearing and caught a glimpse of his friends in the distance between the frantic scrambling of vampires running this way and that. Dean was standing in front of the pole with his blade drawn and a body at his feet. Behind him, Nia was cutting the ropes that were binding Benny.

If anyone thought to look, it was obvious what they were doing. Cas shot another flame upwards, determined to keep the thinning crowd's attention on the false threat of dragons and off his friends.

"Hey!" a voice yelled from the right. "What the Hell?"

Cas turned his eyes to the voice and saw a vampire staring at him angrily. It was clear this one had seen Cas's last fireball and had figured out there were no dragons. Cas stepped forward quickly and pressed a hand to his forehead, drawing on his power to quickly smite the unfortunate onlooker.

"What is that? What are you…?" another voice sounded from behind him. He spun again to see two more vampires staring at him.

"The angel!" one of them cried, eyes wide.

He was discovered.

The pair of vampires drew blades and immediately attacked. Cas managed to kill them each in turn but succeeded also in drawing the attention of other passing vampires. Within seconds, there were six or seven taking swings at him. Some of the strikes landed hard and Cas felt the pain of his skin being sliced but did not spare the energy to heal them right away. He started smiting, knowing he wouldn't last if they kept coming but thankful at least that the appearance of an angel in their midst would likely divert the vampire's attention from his friends even more than a dragon attack.

He smited a blonde female and staggered a few steps. He smited an older male in a ragged, worn suit and stumbled even more. He smited a young, dark-haired male and his knees buckled, dropping him down onto them hard. He looked up to see a large, burly vampire heading straight towards him with blade raised and knew he was done.

But the charging vampire's head suddenly went careening sideways and the body jerked and twitched as it toppled to the ground. Cas looked up to see Dean standing there, blood dripping off the steel of his weapon. Dean turned and hacked the heads off two more while Cas pushed himself to his feet and smited the last of them.

"Cas, buddy, can you walk?" Dean demanded urgently.

"Yes. What are you doing here? Where is Nia?"

"We saw you were in trouble so I came back to help. She's getting Benny out the back way. I told her to pray when they're clear but we gotta go before the rest of these vamps put two and two together and figure out their dragon's just a nerd in a trench coat. Come on."

Cas followed Dean with a nod, a little unsteady on his feet but able to keep up. The clearing was practically empty now as all the vampires had either run for cover or been killed by Benny's rescue team. They were running down a narrow path when Nia's prayer came in.

"_Cas? We're almost clear of the camp, on the back side of the big hill. I hope you're safe. Benny's slow but he'll be…guh!" _

"Nia?" Cas questioned out loud, wishing prayers went two ways. He saw Dean turn to face him, his face questioning and worried.

"_Cas! Cas!"_ was her only reply. Cas could feel both physical pain and fear in the prayer and his heart lurched.

"That way," he pointed into the trees for Dean, who simply nodded and followed his lead, moving as fast as he could through the trees. As they ran, Cas found himself near panic with worry for the second time that day. It struck him with a great measure of clarity how much he cared for the tiny human in their group. He almost believed he would literally die from the internal pain he would suffer if she was killed here in this place, where her soul would be lost to oblivion and not sent to Heaven where he could at least see her from time to time. The thought of never seeing her again was almost crippling and for the first time since arriving in Purgatory, Cas contemplated leaving with his friends.

Of course, he would have to get them safely to that door first. He picked up the pace and pulled ahead of Dean, charging forward until they reached Nia and Benny.

The pair were fighting seven vampires and despite the fact that they had already beheaded three of their foe, they were not faring well. Nia was squirming and screaming on the ground beneath two of them, who had her pinned roughly with their hands and knees trying to subdue her. Benny was still on his feet but was bleeding badly and swaying as he fought off a vampire swinging a large battleaxe at him. The seventh stood to the side, simply watching.

Cas went straight for the two vamps on Nia and smited them both at once, not caring that he was already weak and this would further drain him. Dean stepped forward and rather gracefully beheaded the one attacking Benny.

Benny watched his attacker's head roll and grinned at Dean, his chest still heaving. "What took you so long, brother?" he jeered amiably before collapsing to the ground.

Cas moved towards the one standing off the side, who he recognized as the vampire that had been torturing Benny while he was tied to the pole in the clearing. The vampire snarled and swung a blade at Cas but the angel avoided it easily and stepped in to press his hand against the vampire's forehead. He was drawing on what little celestial power he had left when a cry from Nia stopped him.

"No!" she screamed. "No, don't!"

He hesitated, letting his power ebb to the point where he was just holding the vampire in place on his knees. He threw Nia a questioning look.

The expression on her face was one of pure fury and hatred and Cas was slightly taken aback by the ferocity of it. She was scrambling to her feet and she swung down to scoop up a bloody machete without ever taking her eyes off the vampire in Cas's grip.

Luthor.

Cas figured it out quickly. This vampire was Luthor. Nia's torturer and tormentor for a year. The monster that had owned her, controlled her, and stripped her of any morsel of self-worth and sanity she'd had left after her year as a demon's meatsuit and the months spent killing rampantly with Gordon Walker. The twisted, evil fiend who had taken her innocence and very nearly her humanity from her for the sake of his own sadistic pleasure.

"I wanna do it," she said fiercely, her gaze never wavering from Luthor's.

Cas simply nodded and stepped back, releasing his hold on the weakened vampire. Half expecting Nia to taunt and lash out verbally at her former abuser, to berate him for all he had done to her, he was surprised when she simply stepped forward and swung the blade hard, lobbing off Luthor's head without further ado.

There was a deafening silence for a few seconds, during which time Cas could feel Dean behind him, watching and worrying as he was at how Nia would fare through this on an emotional level.

Nia broke the silence by suddenly shrieking loudly, emitting her fierce battlecry and swinging the blade down again, chopping the head in two with a sickening crack. She didn't stop there, however and kept swinging, kept hacking at the head and the body until there wasn't much left but mush, entrails, and fragments of bone.

Nobody moved to stop her, though Cas heard Dean's soft whisper in his ear. "Overkill much?"

When she was finally done, she turned to Cas, breathing heavily from the exertion. She dropped the machete, smiled and ran the four steps towards him to throw her arms around him, hugging him tightly without saying a word. He returned the hug without a second thought – no awkwardness, no hesitation, no wondering if he was overstepping or doing something socially frowned upon. He simply wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, enjoying the feeling of intimacy he was experiencing beneath the immense relief.

She clung to him tightly in silence for a long time until a shuddering sob escaped her and she started to tremble and shake, keeping her head buried in the front of his coat as she wept. They remained that way for a few more minutes, until her body gradually stopped quivering and her breath evened out. Cas just held her gently through it, his heart heavy with emotions still unfamiliar to him.

"Benny? Hey Benny."

Dean's voice caught Cas's and Nia's attention and she finally pulled away from him with a nod to indicate she was alright. She immediately wiped her tear-streaked face with her sleeve and turned to look at Dean and Benny. Realizing he would have to shelf any questions he had about her emotional well-being at the moment until they were safe and out of Luthor's territory, Cas turned too. He saw Dean crouched over the motionless vampire, tapping his face gently in an effort to rouse him. Eventually the hunter gave up and rose, grabbing Benny by the wrist and hauling him up over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"Let's keep moving," Dean said flatly, his voice strained with the effort of carrying his friend.

"That would be wise," Cas nodded. "The vampires will be figuring out what happened and will be scouring the woods for us. They will be able to track us easily."

The group moved as fast as they could with Cas weak from multiple smites and Dean loaded down with two hundred plus pounds of vampire. After an hour, Dean voiced his concern.

"Shouldn't Benny have woken up by now?" he ventured through broken breaths and pants. "He's a vamp. They pass out but blood loss doesn't keep 'em out."

Cas frowned. Dean was right. An hour was a long time. Benny's wounds were numerous but none severe enough to keep him unconscious this long. "Put him down," he told Dean, who complied by dropping Benny heavily onto a grassy patch on the forest floor.

Cas pulled up Benny's eyelids, not really knowing what he was looking for. He noticed a green tinge around the dilated pupils.

"He's a vamp right?" Dean asked nervously from where he was hovering behind Cas. "He can't die from a gut wound. Gotta take his head off right?"

Nia gasped and her hand flew over her mouth. Both men turned to face her.

"What?" Dean demanded.

"Fraelene! Maybe they gave him Fraelene!"

"What the Hell's Fraelene?" Dean's voice didn't disguise his worry.

"It'll kill him!" Nia simply answered.

Cas spoke up. "Fraelene has a similar effect on a vampire as dead man's blood, only more deadly and far more painful when ingested. It is extremely poisonous to vampires and will cause them much agony before killing them."

"He was hurt and kept falling when we were running but he didn't say anything," Nia said with a worried scowl. "It turns their eyes green," she said, kneeling by Benny to push up one of his eyelids and squinting to see in the dark of the night.

"His eyes are green," Cas offered, already having made the discovery.

Nia drew one of her smaller knives from her coat and held her arm out in front of her, preparing to slice across her inner elbow. Dean reached down and grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Whoa, what are you doing?"

"He needs human blood," she said bluntly. "Clean blood to replace his poisoned stuff."

Dean looked skeptical. "Like a transfusion?"

She nodded. "Walker was hurt bad and when he fed from me, he got better fast. Maybe it'll work for Fraelene too."

Dean nodded in acknowledgement, for once not snarling at the name Walker as he usually did, but he didn't release her hand. Instead he pulled her up and ushered her aside, taking the knife from her.

"I'll do it, sweetheart," he said. "I'm bigger. I got more to spare."

Cas was not surprised at Dean's insistence of doing the honors. The man's nobility knew no bounds. Cas was well aware of Dean's real motive in providing the blood for Benny's 'transfusion'. He knew that if the vampires pursuing them caught up with them, Dean wanted Nia to be at full strength so she could run.

Dean removed his Makara hide and his jacket and sliced a good-sized cut on his arm. He tipped the open wound over Benny's mouth. Benny remained unconscious and didn't move.

"Come on you blood junkie son of a bitch," he coaxed, his tone completely contradicting his insulting words. "You got the Dom Perignon of blood right here."

A few drops slid down Dean's arm and onto Benny's lips and the vampire's nose twitched. A few more and he began to stir. Finally, once Dean had a steady trickle falling directly into the vampire's mouth, Benny's lips parted and his tongue peeped out, searching for more.

"That's it you undead, fang-faced freak. Lap it up." Dean managed a smile through his look of disgust.

Benny was swallowing now, properly ingesting the blood Dean was providing, though he remained quiet with his eyes closed. It went on for some time and he became more and more animated as he kept drinking. When his eyes finally snapped open, they were the harsh, narrow slits of a vampire, not his usual gentle blue ones.

Nia gasped and stepped back and Cas frowned and stepped forward but Dean stayed where he was.

"Easy," the hunter said warily as Benny grabbed his arm and tugged it closer to his face, sucking directly out of the wound. "Don't get too greedy, man," he laughed nervously. "I need you to leave me some."

Before they knew it, Benny was unrecognizable. The look in his eyes was suddenly one of pure lust and his lips curled when his extra fangs popped out. He was sitting up now and he roughly yanked Dean closer to him with a loud snarl, sinking his fangs deep into the wound on the hunter's arm and sucking out greedy gulps of blood.

Dean instantly went into fighting mode and tried to push his friend off but Benny leapt up and slammed the weakened hunter back onto the dirt, pinning him down without ever taking his mouth off Dean's arm. A ferocious growl escaped him and a strong hand wrapped itself around Dean's throat to hold the struggling hunter in place.

Cas lunged forward immediately, grabbing at Benny's coat to pull him off Dean but the angel was still weak from multiple smites and was easily thrown back off his feet.

"Dude!" Dean choked out past the hand on his throat.

"Benny!" Nia cried, lifting her scimitar as if to strike but hesitated and looked at him with wild bewilderment. "Stop! Please!"

"Benny," Cas said more calmly as he righted himself. "You must stop or Dean will die."

Dean's thrashing was weakening as Benny kept drinking and Cas charged forward again, deciding to give the non-lethal approach one more try. He didn't want to smite or behead Benny but he would if it was the only way to save Dean.

This time he got a good punch in and Benny pulled away from Dean's arm with an angry snarl, blood streaming down his chin.

"I won't let you kill Dean," Cas said sternly.

"Benny," Dean croaked from where he lay, his voice drained and pleading. Benny looked as if he was about to launch himself at Cas but stopped abruptly at the sound of his name and turned to look down at Dean on the ground beneath him.

Cas had his hand drawn back to throw another punch but held off delivering it when Benny's hand came up between them in a gesture of peace. Cas watched as the feral look of the vampire's eyes disappeared and his fangs retracted. Benny was breathing heavily and appeared to be summoning all his will to regain control of his actions. He moved off Dean and sank back on the dirt with an anguished groan.

Keeping his eyes trained on Benny, Cas moved forward and clasped Dean's wrist, pulling the hunter up into a sitting position also. "Are you alright?" he demanded, sparing his friend a worried glance.

Dean was pale and swaying but he managed a nod.

Benny's face distorted into a look of horror and guilt that he aimed at Dean. "What did you go and do that for?" he demanded, his voice laden with shame.

"To save your sorry ass," Dean rasped.

Benny closed his eyes and his forehead dropped to his knees that were bent up before him. "Well you shouldn't have, brother. You… you forget what I am sometimes." He lifted his head but quickly averted his eyes as he shook his head. "Savin' me ain't worth that. Don't ever think it is. You don't deserve to be… food."

Dean managed a halfhearted cocky smile. "Well I was offering a taste; didn't expect you to try down the whole jug." He moved to rise to his feet but his legs were shaking too much to hold his weight and he sank back down onto the ground with a thud. Cas jumped to help his friend stand and gave him a shoulder for support.

"We should keep moving," the angel suggested flatly. Benny's head was still hung in shame, Dean's face was strained with false bravado, and Nia had yet to take her wide eyes off Benny. Cas wasn't oblivious to the emotional turmoil enveloping his three friends at the moment but he could hear vampires in the distance which meant an obliterated Luthor had likely been discovered, identifiable only by smell of course, and their trail had been picked up. They would have a hundred vampires in close pursuit very soon, if they didn't already.

The others remained silent but complied, Nia taking the lead and Benny hovering behind them with head hung low. Cas stayed with Dean, supporting most of his weight as they traveled. Despite Benny's strength having been almost completely replenished, he made no offer to take Dean's weight from the near-drained angel. He did, however, behead the few vampires who got too close with extra savagery as he brought up the rear.

**~X~X~X~X~**

They traveled in near silence for over two days non-stop and Cas observed the group dynamic with both concern and interest. His angel powers were getting slower and slower to replenish every time he overused them in this forsaken realm but he could at least smite again by the time the most persistent vampires started catching up with them in groups of two or three. Dean was able to walk on his own after the first hour and after devouring some fruit and gulping a whole pouch of water but it took a few hours before he could join a fight with any chance of surviving. He tried to ease the tension on occasion by making a few sarcastic remarks to his vampire friend but it wasn't until near dusk on the second day that he finally got a smile out of Benny. Nia was very quiet and kept to herself until that smile and the familiar "You're all kinds of crazy, brother." By the time they reached the plains, things were back to normal.

The plains came upon them suddenly just before dawn. One minute they were in thick forest and the next, they were standing at the edge of a barren wasteland stretching as far ahead as the eye could see. The four weary travelers came to an abrupt halt, standing in a row at the edge of the vegetation.

"The vampires will not follow us any farther," Cas announced gravely.

"You don't think?" Dean asked, not sounding convinced. "They've been pretty persistent so far."

Cas shook his head. "They will stop their pursuit here."

"But why give up now?" Dean pressed.

"Coz they ain't as suicidal as us," Benny elaborated with a humorless laugh. He pointed upwards at the quickly brightening sky. "Reason one, dragons," he said before gesturing to the landscape ahead. "Reason two, climate. What lies ahead, brother, is ten days of travel with no cover, no food, no water, and no shelter. Dry as a bone and hot as the July sun in Hades."

**~X~X~X~X~**

_A/N: Hope you liked the chapter – I decided it was time Benny got more than 'third vampire from the right' billing :-) BTW, I am going a bit AU when they finally reach the door so anything's possible ;-)_


	9. Adventures of an Angel Dragonslayer

_**Previously**__: They rescue Benny from Luthor's camp and during their escape, Nia gets to kill Luthor by hacking him into a million pieces. They keep running, chased by Luthor's vampire followers until they hit 'the Plains'. Benny's warning: _

_He pointed upwards at the quickly brightening sky. "Reason one, dragons," he said before gesturing to the landscape ahead. "Reason two, climate. What lies ahead, brother, is ten days of travel with no cover, no food, no water, and no shelter. Dry as a bone and hot as the July sun in Hades."_

**CHAPTER 9 – Adventures of an Angel Dragonslayer **

After three grueling days on the plains, every member of the group except Castiel began to voice their doubts about the decision to travel during the day and hide through the nights. Even Benny, who didn't run the same risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion as his human companions, grumbled about the heat and the relentless Purgatory sun beating down on them fourteen hours straight every day.

Cas forced himself to stop consciously wishing he still had his angel-travel ability in this forsaken land after having the thought run continually through his mind for three days straight. It was futile and pointless to dwell on something that could not be changed. Cas knew it was physical duress and fatigue behind the voiced objections to his insistence they travel during daylight hours but he remained adamant they stick to the plan. The heat and the unyielding sun were hard on his three friends, especially Dean and Nia, but the perils of day travel were far less than those of being out in the open at night, when the dragons appeared in the night sky, hungry and hunting.

Before leaving the forest, they had stocked up on fruit and water, most of which was carried in the makeshift sack slung over Cas's shoulder. If rationed properly, their supply would provide sufficient sustenance for Dean and Nia for the estimated ten days' travel to the other side of the plains. Benny would be uncomfortable but being only the physical embodiment of a soul, he would not perish and as an angel, Cas need not worry about food nor water nor weather.

Dragons, on the other hand, did worry him. Huddled close together in whatever small measure of shelter some random pile of rocks or small outcrop offered them, the travelers could hear them screeching above them in the dark of night, hear the deep flapping of their powerful wings as they scoured the terrain for food. With the exception of the Leviathan, dragons were the top of the food chain in Purgatory. They hunted and fed indiscriminately. Humans, vampires, even angels were but a tasty meal and an opportunity to kill.

The group's only shred of good fortune in this place was that dragons slept during the day. It made the traveling conditions difficult, but at least they could make their way from one tiny patch of rocks to another without worry of being snatched from above and devoured by teeth the size of walrus tusks.

Of course, there were exceptions to every rule. They were five days in and plodding wearily across the open expanse of dry, cracked muddy terrain towards what appeared to be a rocky protrusion in the distance that promised sufficient shelter for the night. They were walking in single file with Benny in the lead and Cas bringing up the rear when a shadow suddenly fell across them. Cas heard the deep thrum of displaced air and spun around before the others even reacted. He looked up, his eyes confirming his worst fear.

A dragon. Despite having over two hours before dusk, there was a dragon in the sky above them. As he saw its burning yellow eyes staring right at the small group, Cas instantly recognized the way it folded its wings back and extended its neck forward as the beginning of a diving pose. "Run!" he shouted, knowing even as he said it that they had no chance of outrunning it. Even if they miraculously reached the small pile of rocks, the creature knew they were there and would surely use its huge claws to dig them out.

The others were already running, a "_Holy_ _fuck_!" gasp escaping Dean when he spared a glance back and caught his first good look at a real-life dragon. Cas had watched enough television passing the time in the psychiatric hospital with Meg to know the dragon above looked much like they were portrayed in human movies with scaled skin and a fifty-foot wingspan.

It only took a matter of seconds for the dragon to make the dive for its prey, during which time Cas ran all their limited options through his mind. He reasoned it would only snatch up one of them and fly back to its den, dragons preferring to eat on the ground. He would simply have to make sure that 'one' was him and put up enough of a fight to allow the others to reach some semblance of safety.

He twisted to locate the beast and saw it swooping in from the side... aiming right for Dean. It screeched as it lifted its head and thrust its claws forward, talons open wide to wrap around its intended prey. Cas lunged forward, throwing himself in its path.

He had drawn the small sword he now carried and he hacked away at its clawed feet as it reached him but the tiny piece of steel did little damage, even wielded by an angel. The giant talons bowled him over as they struck him. For a brief instant, he thought the dragon was going to pass him over and continue on towards the hunter behind him but a sharp pain in his side and a sudden tremendous pressure on his chest made it clear it had closed its talons, thankfully choosing its prey on a first-come, first-served basis.

"Cas!"

The angel heard Dean's alarmed shout followed closely by a full-out scream from Nia as he felt himself being lifted off the ground. He writhed and twisted, swinging his blade frantically at the thick claws wrapped around him but they failed to loosen. He felt a downward tug on his trench coat as the dragon gave a powerful flap of its wings and rose higher and instinctively knew that was Dean trying to haul him back down. The hunter's efforts proved to be useless and Cas continued his stabbing of the beast's feet as the panicked cries of his friends grew distant beneath him. A couple of arrows sailed past his head and bounced off the scaled underbelly of the beast as it gave another upward lurch and he twisted around, suddenly feeling a perplexing but overwhelming urge to catch one last glimpse of Nia before he met whatever fate awaited him.

She was loading another arrow in her bow, her face wrought with fear and anguish. Cas stopped his struggles for just the briefest of seconds, his chest knotting with sadness that this might be the last he saw of her. She really was quite beautiful in every way imaginable as far as he was concerned.

Then his gaze drifted to Dean, who was running full tilt after him, blade in his hand as he charged across the arid plain in a hopeless attempt to save his friend. The dragon was already fifty feet in the air and traveling fast but the stubborn hunter kept running, doggedly refusing to give up. Cas's chest tightened again at the sight, at the show of incredible loyalty and devotion he did not even come close to deserving.

The tormented expression on the hunter's face below was enough to turn the angel's attention back to his struggle for survival. He was not dead yet. His friends needed him. Dean and Nia had already suffered too much loss in their short lives to have to bear the grief of his death also.

Ignoring the deep gash in his side, he slapped his palm on the side of the beast's leg and summoned his celestial powers. As he projected his smiting mojo forward, he was met with resistance, more than he had suspected to find, but he held fast. He wasn't sure if smiting a dragon was possible even if he'd had his full powers because dragons were known to hold a power of their own. They were the top servants of The Mother, who Cas had discovered could render angels powerless by her mere presence.

He kept it up full-throttle for over three minutes before he started to feel a slight give in the dragon's resistance. It had been squeezing him tighter and tighter in its fury at what should be helpless prey fighting back from within its grasp. He could feel his insides crushing and collapsing and blood was freely pouring out of his mouth but still he kept up his attempted smite. The talons around him started gouging and tearing at him, ripping long, deep gashes in his vessel but he kept trying. He could feel his power running out but the dragon's flight was turbulent and jerky and he could tell it was struggling to continue.

Finally the talons let him go. He almost lost his grip and tumbled to the ground but wrapped his arms around the creature's leg at the last moment. It was not the threat of a fall that made him hang on - he could survive that easily - but rather the fear that the dragon would turn back and attempt to find an easier target among the pack of travelers it had found.

The dragon screeched loudly and tried to shake him loose again, clawing at him with its free talon. Cas knew he didn't have enough smiting power left to finish the dragon off - heck he was barely staying conscious - but if he could just climb up a little higher...

It took him a couple of minutes to pull himself up the leg, his efforts hampered by the dragon's swooping and twisting in the air as it tried to dislodge him, but finally Cas found himself within reach of the scaly underbelly. He had somehow managed to keep his small sword in his grasp during his struggles and he rammed it upwards now with a tired grunt.

The dragon screeched and lurched but did not go down. Cas stabbed it again and again and again until the airborne pair were suddenly in a tight downward spiral. They slammed into the ground and the last thing Cas heard was the dragon's dying gasp of air before darkness swallowed them both.

**~X~X~X~X~**

He was drawn back into consciousness by the sounds of voices. Muffled and distant-sounding, but acutely familiar. His eyes were open but it was dark and it took a second for him to realize his legs were underneath the dragon's dead body and the rest of him cloaked in one of its giant, leathery wings. He was still feeling weak from draining his celestial powers into the dragon in his futile attempt to smite the thing and he simply let out a loud groan and closed his eyes again. He allowed himself a moment to recover before refocusing what was left of his powers to heal himself while his friends worked to uncover him.

A blade he recognized as Dean's pierced the dragon's wing to his left and started to slice back and forth, cutting the thick skin slowly open above him. Daylight poured in the gap and he saw Benny's large, rough hands start to pull at one side of the split while Nia's tiny ones curled around the other edge. By the time he had freed his crushed and twisted legs, Nia's face was peering down at him, her expression wild and frantic.

"Cas?" she gushed as her eyes met his.

He gave her just a weak nod in response as he reshifted his powers to heal the gaping wounds in his torso.

"You're hurt," she gasped, practically falling on top of him as Dean and Benny managed to tear the wing apart enough to toss it completely off the angel.

"I shall heal," Cas managed, surprised at how raspy his voice was. He had finished fixing Jimmy's crushed insides and felt Nia's hand on his cheek as he turned his concentration to closing the numerous gashes and stabwounds he had suffered. Logically, he knew it wasn't the case, but it seemed the task was made easier by her touch, by the comfort and affection she was offering. He closed his eyes and soaked it up while he worked on his healing.

"Dude, you good?" he heard Dean say after a few long minutes.

He let out a weary sigh and sat up. "It would appear so."

Nia moved back enough to let Dean lean down and grasp Cas's arm to pull him to his feet. The angel swayed unsteadily for a few seconds but eventually gave his friend a nod to indicate he could stand on his own. He looked around at their surroundings.

"We are off course," he stated.

"No shit," Dean answered with a barked laugh. It was then Cas noticed the hunter was still breathing heavily and dried rivulets of sweat lined his dust-smeared, flushed face. He glanced at Benny and Nia both to see the same thing. It occurred to him they had all run non-stop in the direction the dragon had taken him with some kind of blind hope he would get free somehow.

It also occurred to him their body temperatures were extremely elevated and they were no longer sweating. Extreme exertion in these temperatures while dehydrated was dangerous for humans. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke were very real concerns here, especially since Cas could not heal them.

He frowned. "Did you come across the sack with the food and water on your way here?" he asked.

The hunter shook his head and Cas saw the moment the severity of the situation struck Dean. "Oh fuck, Cas."

"I'm afraid it fell somewhere in flight," Cas explained unnecessarily.

"So you're sayin' we got at least five days in either direction with no water and no food for these two?" Benny gestured to Dean and Nia as he summarized the problem in the form of a question. There was no blame in his tone, only worry.

"We still got some," Dean countered, clearly trying his best to sound optimistic. He pulled a water pouch, his water-filled whisky flask, and a couple of the yellow fruit he had long ago dubbed Purgapples out of his pockets.

Nia dug in her own pockets and produced three Purgapples and a half-full waterpouch. "Maybe we'll find the sack on the way," she shrugged.

Cas wasn't optimistic. The dragon had flown far before starting its erratic flight trajectory in its effort to rid itself of its bothersome passenger. It had been going in every direction and Cas wasn't sure where they were at the exact moment the sack had fallen. It could be anywhere.

He sighed. "We have a more pressing problem," he told them.

Dean arched an eyebrow. "More pressing than five days of desert with no water?"

"Yes. There is less than an hour until dark. We need to find cover."

"Oh fuck," Dean mumbled for the second time in as many minutes.

"We can hide here," Nia suggested, pointing to the huge dead dragon next to them. "Under it."

Cas shook his head. "Dragons are very territorial and social creatures," he explained. "Others will come looking for this one. When they find her, they will want to know who or what killed her."

He noticed Dean's skeptical look

"Dragons are intelligent beings," he informed the hunter. "They may look like simple beasts here in Purgatory but they have the same intelligence as humans. Although they do not breathe fire nor do they speak English like the one on your show with the British boy named Merlin." He frowned, suddenly remembering Saturday night TV viewing at the mental hospital. "Which is a completely inaccurate depiction of Arthur, by the way. He was not king of…"

"Dude, try to stay on topic, huh?" Dean chuckled, though his jaw was tense with worry he was clearly trying to hide.

"Yes, right."

"So which way, Hot Wings?" Benny pressed.

Looking around, Cas could see no cover for them in any direction. They needed to get as far away from the dragon's carcass as possible and fast so he chose the direction in which the cracks in the mud seemed more sparse, having noted that had thusfar been an indicator of more rocky terrain. The group started moving, setting a fast pace despite their weariness and Cas's still-recovering mojo.

His choice didn't offer much in the way of shelter for the night and when the extremely short dusk pounced on them, the travelers had to settle for a four-foot high embankment that had been hollowed out by a previous mudslide, leaving a shallow cave-like space approximately seven feet in width. It was tight quarters but not a single complaint was uttered as they squeezed in only minutes before the first dragon screech pierced through the night sky.

It was a long, hard night. There was a bitterly cold wind hitting them from the open side of their cramped shelter, the temperature difference between night and day being severe here in the plains.

Cas was on the end with Nia next to him and when he felt her body trembling with cold, he shuffled around enough to open his trench coat. He didn't have to say anything for she immediately tucked inside, snuggling up against him, eager for any heat he could offer. He closed his arm around her and pulled the bottom of his coat around her curled up legs also, wrapping her tiny frame entirely within it. She wiggled her shoulder into the crook of his arm and rested her head on his chest. If it wasn't for the extremely tense and dangerous situation they were in, Cas might have cherished the moment.

He had been right about the dragons' social practices. They did indeed flock to the scene of their comrade's death just a couple of miles away. Bloodcurling screeches of rage and deafening wails of mourning sounded all night long. The foursome didn't dare speak, for dragons had excellent hearing, and didn't dare poke so much as a foot out from under their meager shelter for dragons had even better eyesight. Luckily, a dragon's sense of smell was minimal so they managed to go unnoticed despite the flurry of reptilian activity above them.

Cas could feel Nia's even breathing within the confines of his coat and knew she was sleeping. A surge of warmth ran through him at the notion of her sleeping in his arms but he swallowed it down. He glanced over at Dean and Benny and wished he could help his other friends also. Dean especially was shivering to the point where his teeth were almost chattering and the wince on his face made it clear he had a muscle cramp from being unable to move from the restricted position he was in for so long. Cas wondered why Dean and Benny didn't simply huddle together for body warmth. After all, despite urban myths to the contrary, vampires maintained a body temperature of 98 degrees, almost the same as humans. For someone so liberal in his nakedness and intimacy with women, Dean certainly had strange inhibitions about physical contact with men, even clothed. Cas didn't yet fully comprehend the distinction. Body heat was body heat, after all.

Morning finally arrived and with it, silence. The dragons disappeared and the small group tumbled stiffly out of their hiding place. Very little was said as they headed back in the direction they had come last night after Cas's crash landing, which was also the way to the other side of the large plains. Cas knew the direction by memory from the early days before the worm-possessed Dean had performed the angel-banishing spell on him and cost him his 'blipping' ability.

The dragon's carcass had been completely devoured, stripped right down to the bones. Even the skin was gone. An unfortunate turn of events because they really could have used the nourishment dragon meat would have given them in the days to come. Dean voiced some disappointment over the teeth being so big, claiming had they been smaller, they would have made a nice necklace for Cas to boast his impressive kill.

**~X~X~X~X~**

The next three days were difficult for the two humans but they seemed to fare relatively well considering their limited rations. They were tired and weary and their pace had slowed to a crawl by late afternoon each day, but they kept moving.

Cas took note of their cracked, dry lips, their sunken eyes, their dry skin that was now angry red and completely void of sweat, and he grew more and more concerned. Their body temperatures were reaching over a hundred degrees for much of the day. They cooled off at nights but with no water to re-hydrate themselves, they were walking a dangerous line.

They were perhaps two days' travel from the edge of the plains when Dean began to display more acute signs of serious heat exhaustion. Benny was trying to keep up morale by telling a tale about running away from home as a youth and making it as far as a neighboring farm's back field before deciding his dad's chore list wasn't so bad after all. Dean chuckled as he walked alongside the vampire.

"Yeah, Sammy, you and Dad sure do go at it sometimes."

Benny's head whipped around to look at the hunter just as fast as Cas's did.

"Uh, it's Benny, brother."

"Sam is not here," Cas elaborated, a worried frown tugging his eyebrows together.

Dean scoffed. "I know that. He just better not forget my pie like he did yesterday." His gait was slow and unsteady and he had a confused look on his face.

Benny grabbed his arm. "Dean, you still with us?"

Dean stopped walking for a second and closed his eyes tightly. "Yeah, Benny, I'm still here. Just a dizzy spell is all."

They gave him a moment to pull himself together before continuing on their way. They could not afford the delay a rest-stop would bring since they were now completely out of food and water. The sooner they could get Dean and Nia to the forest beyond, the better.

Dean seemed back to himself for a while but the confusion soon returned. An hour later he let out a sharp cry, staring ahead with wide, panicked eyes. "Ni!" he barked past his swollen tongue, his voice hoarse with thirst. "Shit, Cas, how did Nia get so far ahead? There's a gorilla-wolf up there! Why'd you let her go off on her own?"

He started to rush forward but Benny caught him, dragging him to a stop. "Bit's right there," he said calmly, pointing to Nia, who had been completely silent all day, walking next to Cas. "There ain't nothin' ahead of us but dirt."

Dean's head swung around and confusion filled his features once again as he stared back and forth between Nia and the empty plain up ahead. "Crap, I'm seeing things," he panted.

"It is a normal side effect of heat exhaustion," Cas offered. "Your body's core temperature is almost 104 degrees. Dehydration, the direct sunlight, and the physical exertion are all contributing factors. Confusion, disorientation, and even hallucinations are quite common side effects. You are in grave danger of suffering heat stroke."

Dean rolled his eyes, his fist still gripped in Benny's sleeve to hold himself upright. "Thanks for not sugar-coating it, Cas." He attempted to grin at the angel but there was nothing much beyond weariness in his eyes and his cracked lips wouldn't let his mouth spread into a proper smile. "Okay," he sighed in defeat. "Let's keep moving, huh? Looks like I'm the resident crazy aunt for the time being so just… aw crap, just ignore me if I start rambling about bees."

They were still a couple of hours shy of the abrupt relief dusk would bring them when the situation got worse. Benny had been helping Dean walk for most of the afternoon and Cas's attention had been so focused on the hunter's occasional odd behavior and obvious struggle to stay upright that he had failed to notice anything wrong with Nia next to him. She had not spoken a word all day but had kept walking along silently so it was with dismayed shock that he looked down to see her suddenly collapse to the ground.

"Nia!" he cried, kneeling quickly at her side.

He placed a palm on her face. Her eyes were closed and she lay completely still, giving no reaction to his calling of her name or to his touch. Her body's temperature was close to 105 degrees. Cas realized with a painful lurch of his insides that this could very well be heat stroke, not the lesser heat exhaustion that Dean was suffering. He could not read minds here in Purgatory but he could pick out little scraps of information or thought when he concentrated and right now, he could sense nothing from Nia. Nothing at all.

"Cas?" came Dean's worried voice from behind him.

Cas closed his eyes and swallowed. "She is unconscious," was all he said, not elaborating because for some reason, he couldn't bear to say the word 'coma' out lout. Not here, in the middle of the brutally harsh Plains of Purgatory with no angel-travel powers and no angel-healing powers to speak of.

He slid his arms underneath her shoulders and her knees and scooped her up as he rose to his feet. "I will carry her," he said evenly. "We must keep moving."

Seeing the fear and worry on both the other men's faces, he knew he was supposed to lie at this point and say she would be fine but he didn't have the inclination or the spare effort to bother with human social nuances and he simply blurted, "She does not have much time."

**~X~X~X~X~**

Nia did not wake at all during the night nor the next day. Dean was being half-carried, half-dragged by Benny by the time they reached shelter on the second night. He seemed to recover slightly at nights but his body was desperte for hydration they simply didn't have the means to give him. His hallucinations had become worse and Cas was amazed the resilient hunter had not yet succumbed to his body's pull towards coma as Nia had. Delirious and dizzy and practically dead on his feet, Dean had made it through yet another blistering day. On that second night, as the angel sat stiffly between a comatose Nia and a passed-out, barely-hanging-in-there Dean, Cas knew if they didn't reach food and water and shade tomorrow, he would lose at least one of them, if not both.

"I am worried," he admitted out loud to the vampire, who was leaning back against a rock a few feet away with his eyes closed.

Benny cracked an eyelid open. "They'll make it, Cas. Both of them. They're tough for humans. Hell, they're tough for any kind of being. By all rights, they shouldn't have made it this far but… here they are."

Cas nodded in acknowledgement of the encouragement but wasn't convinced so easily. "Dean has a chance if we reach the forest early tomorrow as I suspect we will," he acquiesced. "But Nia…"

Benny studied him intently for a long moment. Cas was aware of the scrutiny but, unlike Dean, it didn't bother him.

"So are you in love with her then?" the vampire asked, his tone soft, not challenging nor accusing.

Cas frowned at the question. "I don't… " He paused, pursing his lips in thought. "I don't have any point of reference to give that question a properly informed answer."

Benny chuckled. "You've never been in love before?"

Cas shook his head. "No. Angels do not fall in love."

"Would you die for her?"

Cas nodded. But he would die for Dean too. And Sam. And even Benny at this point.

"Can you imagine your life without her?"

Cas shook his head.

"Do you want to be with her every wakin' minute of every day?"

Cas paused but eventually nodded, glancing down at her peaceful face. He wanted nothing more than that, he realized with a start.

Benny chuckled again. "Well congratulations, my friend. Guess you're the first angel to fall in love."

"You speak from experience," Cas ventured.

Benny nodded. "Andrea," he said softly.

"She is the reason you found your humanity once again," the angel surmised. "Why you are so different from the rest of the monsters in this place."

Benny shrugged. "Love'll do that for you."

There was a long silence before the vampire spoke again. "You don't plan on goin' through this door, do you?" he challenged.

Cas stole a nervous glance at Dean, making sure the hunter was still passed out and not listening. He was surprised Benny had figured out his plan to remain here to serve out his penance and hoped Dean and Nia had not.

"I do not deserve reprieve. Purgatory is my punishment for all I have done, all I have cost my angel brethren and…" he glanced once more at Dean, "…and my friends."

"Ever occur to you you're gonna break that girl's heart if you stay here? And Dean's too?"

Of course that thought had occurred to him, but it was not his choice to make. "I don't deserve to get out," he said stubbornly.

"You need to rethink your priorities, Cas. You can't do no good here. You wanna be selfless and earn yourself some forgiveness? Then get your ass topside and keep lookin' after this pair." He gestured towards the sleeping humans. "Now that's something that's worth some redemption points, brother."

Cas was impressed with the vampire's intuition and admitted the reasoning he was offering was logical. Back home he would reconnect to Heaven and regain his full powers. He could protect his human friends far more effectively than he was doing here. Lately, he had been re-evaluating his decision to stay behind every time he looked at Nia and every time Dean spoke of getting back to Sam and included the angel in his optimistic, imagined future. Thus far, however, he had always convinced himself it was just his own desires and wants trying to convince him not to stay and he forced himself to dismiss them. But Benny's words held merit and it seemed right that Dean's and Nia's needs come before his need for redemption. There could still be a Leviathan threat in the topside world and there would almost definitely be a threat to Dean from Crowley and his demons. Perhaps Cas could do more to earn his redemption there than in here.

He nodded slowly, making his decision. "If I am able to pass through the door, I will," he told Benny sincerely.

Benny gave him a lopsided grin. "You'll get through. Purgatory wants to spit these two out coz their souls are pure and they don't belong here. You're an angel, for crying out loud. If anything don't belong here, it's you. "

**~X~X~X~X~**

They saw the treeline just a couple of hours into the next day. Cas's attention was focused on Nia, who was still completely unconscious in his arms but thankfully still breathing, when Dean groaned out loud.

"Am I hallucinating that mirage thing up ahead?" he asked, his voice like sandpaper.

Benny let out a loud whoop of delight. "Not unless I am too, brother!" he exclaimed, his voice the most animated Cas had heard it to date.

"It is definitely the edge of the plain," Cas confirmed and the three of them picked up their pace.

The sound of the wind rustling in the tree tops and the lush, green color of the vegetation struck Cas with such a sense of relief he didn't realize he was grinning right alongside Dean and Benny when they finally reached the forest and stepped onto the grass. Dean practically collapsed in the middle of a soft clump of mossy vegetation under the first tree they came to, lying down on his back with a loud exhale.

The hunter's smile vanished when Cas lay Nia down next to him and told him to stay put while he went to fetch food and water. Dean gave him a somber nod, leaning up on his elbow to press his fingers to Nia's forehead.

"She gonna be okay?" he asked hesitantly. It was the first time Dean had asked the question since the moment Nia had collapsed almost two days ago and Cas didn't miss the fear and apprehension in the hunter's voice.

"I don't know," he said simply before heading quickly into the woods in search of water. He found a stream within fifteen minutes and filled the pouches he had with him. He came across a fruit-bearing tree with an unfamiliar red fruit and plucked a few from its lower branches, sniffing them to see if he could detect any contents he knew to be harmful to humans. Finding none, he headed quickly back to the others.

As he approached the spot he had left them, he sensed the presence of strangers before he actually saw them. Not human, monsters. Lots of them.

Curling his fingers around the hilt of his small sword he rushed forward, hoping Dean and Benny had at least enough fight left in them to have lasted until his return.

He stopped short at what he saw when he burst through a thick patch of undergrowth.

Dean and Benny were on their knees at the edge of the clearing with displeased expressions and their hands behind their heads. At least twenty drawn bows were aimed straight at them. Nia was lying where Cas had left her but two women were now kneeling at her side. She had been stripped down to her tank top and underwear and wet cloths were being placed gently across her legs and arms while a cup was being gently brought to her mouth.

He felt at least ten bows being turned towards him and Cas glanced around again, assessing the enemy one more time before launching his planned attack when an odd fact struck him. The thirty or so monsters gathered around were all women. Attractive, healthy, fit women.

Amazons.

This was not good.

**~X~X~X~X~**

_**A/N:**__ I have to apologize for the delay in posting again. Things just get crazy and finding the time to write can be difficult when there's a lot going on. I know I could have posted half this chapter in the interim but I think each chapter should have enough meat to be worth you guys taking the time to read and should move the story along to a new place, so I'm sorry you had to wait while I finished it. It shouldn't happen again – things in RL seem to have slowed down. Hope you are all still with me – just a couple of chapters left before they reach the gate but big things happen so hopefully you haven't lost interest in my absence. _

_**Funny note**__: I thought their trip across the plains would help explain why at the beginning of season 8, Dean had a super-dark tan, lol. We know it was probably because Jensen was spending too much time frolicking on his boat in LA during his summer break, but I'm going with Dean got sun-burned crossing the Plains of Purgatory. _


	10. Family Ties

_**Previously**__: Dean and Benny were on their knees at the edge of the clearing with displeased expressions and their hands behind their heads, at least twenty drawn bows aimed straight at them. Nia was lying where Cas had left her but two women were now kneeling at her side, gently treating her for dehydration. _

_Cas felt at least ten bows being turned towards him when an odd fact struck him. The thirty or so monsters gathered around were all women. _

_Amazons. _

**Chapter 10 – Family Ties**

Cas dared not attack but held his ground. The enemy numbered in the high twenties and although the ten arrows aimed at him would do very little damage, the dozen others aimed at Dean and Benny could prove fatal should one strike the hunter. Amazons may blend in with humans in the topside world but at their core, they were a fierce warrior race and here in Purgatory, monsters tended to revert to their basic nature.

One of the women stepped forward to stand in front of Cas, stopping about ten feet away.

"Tha prépei na eínai o ángelos," she said, giving him an appraising once-over.

"Yes, I am the angel," Cas confirmed, answering in English. "Put down your weapons and we will not harm you," he added.

The woman laughed. She was clearly the leader for a few of the other women followed suit, chuckling at his audacity.

"It seems you are in no position to make demands," she pointed out, still looking at him curiously. "Eíste ándras?"

Cas pursed his lips. That was a complicated question but at least while she was asking him questions, Nia was being tended to and Dean and Benny were not being hurt.

"An angel does not have a set gender," he explained slowly. "But we usually become more comfortable with one or the other when we take vessels." He gestured towards Jimmy's body. "This is but a vessel, a male human that I am occupying so that I may leave Heaven and walk on Earth. So the most accurate answer to your question is no, I am not male."

"But you're not a woman either," the Amazon pressed.

"No, I am an angel."

"Ti nomízete?" she called out to her companions. "Andrápodo í̱ deípno?"

Cas tightened his fingers around the hilt of the sword. The warrior studying him now with a pensive look on her face had asked her companions if they should make him a slave or eat him for dinner. Amazons were a belligerent race of women who had absolutely no use for living men other than the occasional work slave or as sperm donor. In Purgatory, where existence was limited to the embodiment of souls, breeding was not an option so the only reason these women would have to _not_ eat their prisoners was if they decided to keep them as slaves. It would appear being an angel and essentially genderless did not offer Cas any additional options. He wondered what had been decided for Dean and Benny.

There were a number of shouted answers intermingled with laughs and jeers. Cas didn't like the sound of most of them but couldn't help but notice the two women by Nia's side were still administering appropriate first aid to her, trying to rehydrate her and cool her down slowly and gently. He could not fight these women and still give Nia the attention she required so right now, keeping the peace was her best chance of survival. After two days of intense fear of having her die in his arms, keeping her alive was practically all he could think about at this point.

"You mind fillin' us in here, Feathers?" Benny asked from where he and Dean were still being held on his knees. Cas glanced over and realized his friends did not speak the language of the Amazons and did not know the majority of the women currently wanted to chop off their hands and feet and roast the three of them on a spit. Benny looked both worried and curious but Dean looked ready to pass out. His head had dropped forward onto his chest and one of the Amazon women had hooked a hand under his arm to hold him upright. He badly needed water.

"We three serve the female human," he blurted. Nia was not an Amazon and he was surprised the warriors had not killed her already along with the rest of them. He thought it might earn her a good measure of respect with the Amazons if they were to believe she had three male slaves of her own. They did not eat other women of any race, but they generally didn't go out of their way to help them either and he had to admit, they seemed to be genuinely trying to revive her.

The leader raised an arm to effectively silence her subordinates and looked back to Cas.

"We had heard tale of two humans and an angel here in Purgatory," she told him. "Your master is human," she sneered the word 'human' making her distaste for the race evident, "but our Queen wishes to meet her. A human surviving in Purgatory is an impressive feat and we respect our fellow female warriors, human or otherwise." She glanced towards Nia, who was still not moving. "Though crossing the plains was not a wise move," she added scornfully. "I am not that impressed."

"If you are helping Nia, we will do you no harm," Cas offered, steering her attention back to him. "You have my word. You may release the others."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "And what's to stop me from killing the three of you right now?" she challenged.

"I assure you, you will be unable to kill me," Cas said truthfully, not intending it to sound boastful. "I can smite you all in a matter of seconds." Okay, that part was a huge exaggeration. Back home he could have but not here.

"Maybe, maybe not," she said with an amused smirk. Amazons loved a challenge and Cas could almost see the predatory urges coursing through the warrior in front of him by the look she was giving him. "But I think if you could, you would have already."

Cas remained silent and kept his face blank, not quite sure what expression would be the most effective bluff.

"We will keep the male human," she said bluntly. "He will be used as a mate for the female… Nia, is it?"

Cas nodded, ignoring his extreme discomfort at the suggestion that Dean and Nia were to be 'mated' and the disturbing image that brought to his mind. He hated that they were currently at the mercy of these monsters but glad at least the Amazons didn't seem to want to kill them, at least not yet. He had to play along until Dean and Nia recovered… _if_ Nia ever recovered, that was. He shook the unthinkable thought away before it could take hold and rattle him.

"He will require food and water," he informed the leader, gesturing towards Dean. "He too has crossed the plains and is in dire need of sustenance."

"Na tou dó̱sei neró!" She waved her hand to one of the women next to Dean and the woman lowered her bow to tug at a water pouch on her belt. Cas watched as she yanked the hunter's head up and pressed the pouch mouth to his dry, cracked lips.

"You may lower your weapons now," the angel told them bluntly.

The leader narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't tell me what to do," she hissed. "You are our prisoner. You do as we command." Her expression turned smug. "The queen will be pleased to have an angel as a slave. "You will provide much entertainment," she said before turning to a couple of women on her right.

"We have no use for the vampire," she commanded. "Kill him."

Cas tensed and raised his sword once more. "No!" he shouted, his voice causing the leaves on the surrounding trees to tremble, earning himself a wary look from the Amazon leader. "The vampire will be left alone."

A look of fury crossed her face yet she made no move towards Cas nor Benny. It appeared she was reluctant to call Cas on his bluff that he could smite them all within seconds. "Shut up, _slave_," she seethed.

Cas wished he was not the one left to talk his way out of this. He understood Amazon behavior even less than he did human behavior and trying to figure out what to say or what not to say to keep all of his friends alive was complex. Dean would be far more suited for this task.

"I will concede to being your slave only if all three of my friends remain alive," he said finally. "As you said, your queen will be most pleased to have an angel as her slave. I can be a powerful ally." He deepened his voice again and gave the leader a hard stare. "But a far more deadly enemy."

Without moving anything but his arm, he shot his hand out sideways and grasped the shoulder of the single Amazon warrior who had been brave enough to come close to him. In less than a second, her sharp cry was silenced and she dropped to the ground, dead.

Every bowstring tightened instantly and every woman tensed, poised and ready for combat. Cas could tell the leader was itching to call a full out attack to kill them all, even if it meant having her whole troop slaughtered by the angel, and he thought perhaps he had miscalculated and taken his show of force too far, but she wisely held back. She stared at him for a long moment while contemplating her next move, during which not one of her troops moved even an inch.

"You will present yourself as slave to my queen?" she demanded, her tone hard as steel.

Cas nodded. "If my friends all live."

The leader turned her head for a second to glance at Nia. "If anything can save your former master," she gloated, "it is Amazon magic."

That was exactly what Cas was thinking.

**~X~X~X~X~**

They traveled through the forest for days. The Amazons were incredibly vigilant in their guarding duty, never leaving Dean nor Benny for so much as a fraction of a second without at least six arrows trained on them, even at night. Their hands were bound behind their backs and they were marched along near the rear among a cluster of well-armed women.

Cas was left free of roped restraint after their first four attempts at tying his hands were broken with ease in a display intended to make a point. He was, however, ordered to walk near the front of the large group, effectively separating him from his friends.

Dean was thankfully given water and food and the group kept a slow pace for the first day or two until he was able to move faster. Cas could tell he was feeling better as the frequency of his sarcastic and often insulting remarks to the women next to him increased.

"What's with the ratty clothes? Haven't you ever seen Xena? What, you tellin' me there's no leather bras in Purgatory?"

"These knots are too damn tight. You're spoiling the meat, sister."

"You're gonna hafta untie me at some point, bitch, unless you're plannin' on holdin' it for me when I take a leak."

He received a jab in the ribs for that one. Cas began to think perhaps the hunter's animosity towards the Amazons stemmed from previous experience and not just their current situation.

Thankfully, Nia was up front near Cas where he could keep an eye on her. She was being carried in a makeshift stretcher by two large women but had yet to even stir.

It became quickly evident that the forests on this side of the plains housed a different array of monsters than those they had fled almost two weeks ago. They saw no vampires, Rugarus, ghouls, or Gogmagogs but their traveling companions sent out hunting parties every day who returned with Selkies, Okami, Skinwalkers, and some creatures even Cas did not recognize. The large number in their group warded off most attackers but over the next three nights, six of the Amazons were slaughtered by what the warriors referred to simply as 'Shadows'. They perished in silence and nothing was left of their bodies but hollow, empty husks.

On the fourth night, the leader, whose name he had discovered was Valista, demanded Cas kill the Shadows that had been stalking them. He had heard their conversations and discovered the Shadows attacking so brazenly was practically unheard of. Valista claimed the longstanding enemy of the Amazons clearly intended to take them out one by one until there were none left. At her demand for help, Cas simply looked down at Nia and shook his head.

"You claim your Amazon magic is powerful yet she has not awoken. I am not your slave yet," was his reply. "Heal her and I will help."

Valista scowled angrily at him. "She is in a coma. I do not have the power to heal her," she said through gritted teeth. "Only the queen does. But that won't do her any good if we don't get back to our home. The Shadows are growing more fearless than I've ever seen them. They will full-out attack us soon. They will kill your humans and the vampire so if you still serve Nia, you will kill the Shadows when they come tonight."

Cas considered her words and gauged what would be the best way to help Nia. If her only chance of survival meant being led right into the heart of the Amazon tribe and to their queen, then so be it. He knew without asking that Dean and Benny would agree. Without his healing powers, he was helpless. Helpless and desperate. Watching Nia all day lying so still and so quiet and unable to do anything about it was torture for him. He missed her laugh and her bright smile and the small physical displays of affection she had been granting him more and more often. His insides felt like something had a hold of them, incessantly squeezing to the point of physical pain. And it took a lot of physical pain to make an angel take note.

He nodded to Valista. "Very well, I will help."

As they sat on the ground among the trees and settled in for the night, Cas heard laughter from the far end of the camp. He looked over to see Dean grinning and flirting outrageously with one of the women, an attractive warrior with long, blonde hair.

"Well if you untie me, sweetheart, I promise I'll show you exactly what you've been missing."

Even Benny's quiet chuckle reached the angel's sharp ears. Cas shook his head, knowing Dean's efforts were wasted. He was proven right when the blonde warrior finally got up, strolled over to Dean, and placed her six inch blade against his neck.

"I would rather die at the hands of a Shadow than let your disgusting man parts anywhere near me," she jeered, earning herself a unanimous cheer of agreement from the entertained women surrounding them.

Cas knew Dean had simply stowed his deep-seeded hatred of their captors and was trying a different approach, any means to get free. He guessed both the hunter and Benny were wondering why Cas was not putting up a fight to escape. He hadn't had the opportunity to explain to the two men that Nia was dying. That her body was shutting down, bit by bit. That if she was going to come out of this coma without supernatural help, she would have done it by now. That she was withering away and that at this point, the Amazon queen's magic was her only chance of survival.

**~X~X~X~X~**

The Shadows did indeed come again that night. This time, instead of hearing them approach and sitting in smug silence while they pounced and drained another couple of Amazon warriors, Cas stood up and moved quickly into the woods. Valista got up to follow him and he didn't stop her.

Three of them sprang at him as soon as he was out of sight of the camp. Cas had never seen such creatures before. They were not fully corporeal but he was able to touch them anyway. They were but dark patches of black nothingness gliding through the night, with no facial features but vaguely human-like in shape. He batted two away while wrapping his fingers around the third's neck. He drew on his angel powers and smited it easily. There was no body to drop to the ground as the celestial light he poured into it just disintegrated it to nothing. He spun quickly and grabbed another two, smiting them just as quickly with a flash of light. He dashed a few yards left to grab a fourth and snatched a fifth out of the air as it leapt at him, smiting one right after the other.

He looked up to see Valista staring at him in slack-jawed awe. When she regained her composure, a grin spread across her face. "You are going to be an excellent slave, angel."

"Just get Nia to your queen," was his stern reply. He stood where he was for a moment, not wanting to let her see him stagger and reveal how limited his powers actually were.

**~X~X~X~X~**

Two days later, they reached the Amazon's… Cas wasn't sure what word described it best… Village? Fortress? Nest? Settlement? Colony? Encampment? There was an eight-foot fence surrounding it, made quite sturdily with logs sharpened to points at the top. The guards at the gate nodded respectfully to Valista and opened it wide for her and her party to enter.

Valista immediately ordered Dean and Benny be locked 'in the pit' while Cas and Nia were taken to be presented to the queen. As they moved through rows of what could almost be described as thatch-roofed huts, Cas was intrigued by the level of civilization shown here among the Amazons. Many monsters were intelligent but when sent here to Purgatory, their primal instinct to kill took over and prevented any real semblance of social structure. The fact that the embodiments of souls didn't require food nor sustenance allowed them to concentrate instead on the lust to kill, the edibility of their prey coming in a distant second. Luthor's loosely knit nest of vampires seeking safety and thrills in numbers was the closest they had seen to any form of social hierarchy. Cas had long since deduced this was the reason Purgatory remained a savage wilderness even after thousands of centuries of populated existence.

Even Hell had some structure. It was a place of blood and pain and suffering for all but there was a king and there were rules and order. Here it was every monster for themselves. The Mother may have claimed to have loved her children but she clearly loved them best in their purest state of murderous evilness and had left them to their own devices.

Yet the Amazons seemed different. They worked as a team with a very structured hierarchy and had shown they could refrain from killing for the sake of a higher goal. The angel hadn't quite figured out yet what the inhuman warrior race wanted with Nia, but they had certainly gone through some effort to keep her alive that it had to be more than just respect of a fellow female warrior.

The queen was sitting in a dim cave, flanked by two women with spears. Cas was halted at the mouth of the cave and a double row of warriors immediately formed a corridor in the twenty-foot space between them, practically daring him to make a move. Cas refrained from rolling his eyes in their meager attempt at a show of power. They clearly had no real knowledge of just how powerful an angel was. Threatening him was completely pointless – it was only the threat to his three friends that had forced him to stave the use of his celestial powers thusfar. If Cas wanted had wanted the queen dead, she would have already been smited.

As it stood, he may yet have need of her alive. Nia was carried past him and her stretcher placed on the ground at the queen's feet.

"No closer, slave," Valista snapped, leveling a dagger in the air in front of him. "Kneel."

Cas didn't need to get any closer. He barely heard the warrior as he stared ahead and caught his first glimpse of the queen. It all made much more sense now.

The queen was the Amazon Alpha.

He sank to his knees, feigning obedience and suddenly much more hopeful than he had been in days that Nia could be healed. Amazons were known to have a certain type of healing power, something in their physiology that also caused them to rapidly age until a specific act of familial bloodshed stemmed the accelerated cell regeneration. The Alpha was the source of that power and quite fortunately for Nia, it seemed some hunter in ages past had managed to 'gank' the Alpha Amazon and send her here to Purgatory.

She looked immensely pleased at the sight of the human at her feet. "A human," she practically purred in the Amazon tongue. "She leaned forward and slid a hand up Nia's dirty tank top to rest on her belly. "A _fertile_ human." She nodded and looked back up at Valista. "You have pleased me."

"Can you heal her?" Cas interrupted, also using their language.

The queen's eyes narrowed. "You will speak when spoken to," she snapped before turning back to Valista. "Is the male human of good breeding stock?"

Valista let out a snort. "He certainly seems to think he is."

"Good." The Alpha leaned forward and placed her hand on Nia's forehead. Cas felt a thrum of power and his heart lurched when the small human he had grown to love finally began to stir.

She would live. Tension ebbed from every part of him as every one of his muscles uncoiled from its painful knot of worry. Nia would live. She would not die in this forsaken land because he had been too weak to save her.

Nia's breath quickened and hitched and her eyelashes fluttered before slowly drifting open. A hoarse cry escaped her lips at the sight of the queen and the surrounding Amazon warriors standing over her and she sat up, her hands flying to where her coat would normally be carrying her weapons.

"Nia," Cas called to her, staying where he was so as not to instigate the Amazons but wanting to calm her before she panicked and attacked and potentially got hurt with a reprisal.

Too late. Her eyes flew wide and her muscles tensed at the discovery of her missing clothes and she simply lunged. The fact that she had no weapons wasn't really a hindrance because she launched herself upwards so fast at the closest Amazon that she had the larger woman knocked on the ground before any of the others could even react. Nia snatched the dagger from the woman's hand and scampered to the side, holding it out in front of her while her fearful eyes scanned the cave to assess the situation.

They didn't take long to lock on Cas. "Cas!" she cried, her voice still hoarse.

The Amazons were tense and obviously ready to defend their queen if a serious threat was perceived so Cas rose and stepped forward quickly, placing himself in between Nia and the warriors.

"She is simply alarmed," he defended, extending an arm to keep Nia behind him. "She means no harm."

"Cas?" Nia whispered from behind him, her confusion evident. "What's going on?"

"It is fine," he assured her. "They will not harm you."

"That's right," the queen interrupted in English, ushering her guards aside so she could see her prisoners. "You are my key to leaving this place. The key to the door."

Cas frowned. The Alpha knew about the door?

Nia snorted her reply. "Never in a million years." She moved up alongside Cas and whispered. "You ready?"

He shook his head, knowing it was her intention to fight their way free. "They have Benny and Dean and there are many, many more outside," he informed her gravely. "We should not fight."

The queen nodded her approval. "Take her to the pit with the other human. Make sure they copulate."

Nia's mouth dropped open. "Wh-what?"

It suddenly all made sense to Cas. The Alpha didn't want Nia to take her back through the door, she wanted a human child instead. One she could raise to be loyal, one she could trust to release her soul once she was back on the other side for she could never lay her trust in Dean or Nia in such a manner. After decades or even centuries in Purgatory, what was a few more years waiting for a human child to grow up? Maybe she would want more than one since Nia had many child-bearing years left in her and that way she could bring some of her warriors with her.

Cas cleared his throat uncomfortably, knowing getting the wild human at his side to relinquish control after her past history would not be easy. "They want you to mate with Dean," he explained, feeling his cheeks flush.

Nia made a chortling sound and her blade rose back up in an offensive pose, preparing once more to fight. "No way!"

It took Cas a while to convince Nia to back down but she finally agreed when he pointed out that Dean and Benny were in trouble and an all-out fight would only succeed in getting them killed. A few of the Amazon women led her away to the pit, leaving Cas behind with fifteen guards and the queen. Now that he knew she was the Alpha, Cas wasn't sure if he could smite her with his limited celestial powers, let alone take out this many guards as well, so he decided to play along until a more opportune moment for escape arose.

**~X~X~X~X~**

It was almost three days before the opportunity presented itself. Cas had not seen the others since Nia had been led away but Nia's prayers every few hours in his head assured him she, Dean and Benny were all still alive and in good health, if not good spirits. She was extremely vocal about her distaste for being stuck in an underground, dirt cavern of a prison with Amazons constantly trying to coax her and Dean to make a baby. _Extremely_ vocal. So much so Cas was reminded of the first few days after he had met her when she would pray by singing his name in his head all night long. But as tempted as he was to tune her out, he didn't, the sound of her voice in his head bringing him comfort in her absence.

Even Dean's prayers were getting impatient. "_Cas_," he prayed on the second night. _"You gotta make a move soon. This is getting seriously creepy. These crazy bitches are threatening to take our clothes away, man. So unless you want me to see your girlfriend in the buff, you'd better get your ass in gear. Like, pronto!"_

By the next morning, Dean was introducing not-so-subtle threats._ "Hey dude, you know, Nia's lookin' pretty hot today. I'm gettin' pretty tempted here… you might wanna get us out of here before I start turning on the ol' Winchester charm!" _

Cas had to make an effort not to smile as he continued his conversation with the queen, not worried in the least about Dean touching Nia. Even if she would let him, which she very definitely wouldn't, Dean would just as soon make out with Sam. Cas had no doubts the hunter saw the young woman as a little sister.

Cas had been ordered to remain with the queen, who was very eager for conversation with the angel. Harmonia, as she was known, had been back in Purgatory for over two centuries and was curious about what was going on in the world. She had heard rumors of Leviathan escaping as well as the Mother of All leaving to check on her children topside and never returning. She pressed the angel for information on the political turmoil in both Heaven and Hell and was becoming increasingly annoyed at the meager bits and pieces Cas was willing to divulge. Of course he pleaded ignorance because letting her know it was him who had brought the Leviathan topside would surely have made her angry and informing her Dean had personally killed the Mother would surely have been a death sentence for the hunter, baby or not.

Castiel was polite, courteous and obedient but he could tell she was coming to the realization that she could not control him and that bringing him here as a slave had perhaps not been such a wise decision. She could not restrain him or confine him and the only thing she had to hold over his head right now was the fate of his three friends. She currently had fifteen warriors stationed on guard right outside their underground prison, her way of ensuring that if Cas tried anything, at least one of her soldiers would manage to sink an arrow into one of his friends. Cas knew she was aware she could not keep up that level of guard forever.

On the third night, the Shadows attacked. The queen immediately rose to charge outside and fight alongside her subjects but stopped and turned to Cas at the mouth of her cave. "Fight with us," she demanded. "Help us kill the shadows."

Cas agreed quickly and rose to his feet. Outside was chaos. There were Amazons running everywhere and he managed to slip away from the Alpha within minutes while she was barking out orders on how to maintain the perimeter defenses. He headed straight for the hatch leading down to the prison and smited the four guards that had remained at their post upon the onset of the Shadow attack. He strode quickly along a dirt-walled tunnel and peered through the first sturdy wooden-grate door he came across to see Dean and Nia staring back at him.

"Took you long enough," Dean grinned at him. Nia remained quiet but her eyes told him how pleased she was to see him.

"We must go," Cas said flatly, snapping the lock on their door with a flick of his wrist. He moved on to the next cell to find Benny in it by himself and freed the vampire also. They were back outside within thirty seconds and following him along the shadow of a row of dwellings towards the outer fence.

Cas smited the few Amazons that sighted them and Dean, Benny, and Nia wasted no time in stripping the dead of their weapons to arm themselves. The only weapon they still had from their old stash was Dean's pistol, which Cas had been carrying in his pocket as they crossed the plains. It had been empty of bullets since Dean's first night in Purgatory but for some reason, Dean refused to part with it.

The small group stopped abruptly about fifty feet from the fence, slinking back into the cover of the closest dwelling.

Across an open expanse of grass was the fence but it was teeming with Amazon warriors, all shooting flaming arrows through cracks and down from perches near the top at the unseen enemy on the outside if the fence. The clusters of warriors extended as far left and as far right as they could see, leaving no easy place to slip past them.

"We'll just hafta try farther along," Benny whispered with a shrug.

"How many can you take out, Cas?" Dean posed the question, clearly less eager to keep pushing their luck by sneaking around inside the encampment walls.

Cas shook his head, deep creases in his forehead demonstrating his concern. He began to think perhaps he had been hasty in trying an escape now. Perhaps his friends would have been safer under the protection of the Amazons. "I'm afraid it is not that simple," he said with reluctance. "Even if we fight our way through the Amazon defense line, I can sense many of the Shadow creatures on the other side. They may prove to be an even bigger threat."

"I'd rather take my chances with the Shadows than these superbitches," Dean argued. "They make me feel dirty… and since this is me we're talkin' about, that's sayin' somethin'."

"Me too," Nia chimed in. "I'm not being anybody's prisoner again, Cas. I say we fight."

There was a small scuffing noise behind them and they spun to find a lone Amazon standing but twenty feet away, a flaming torch in her hand. She wasn't attacking or calling out in warning as expected but rather just standing there. Nia immediately raised her newly-acquired weapon and rushed forward to attack but Dean reached out and grabbed her as she passed, stopping her with a strained grunt.

Cas stepped forward with every intention of smiting the warrior.

"Wait, don't," Dean rasped, the strange tone of his voice stopping Cas in his tracks. The hunter splayed his free hand out to stop Benny's advance also.

The Amazon didn't move but instead gave the hunter a hesitant smile.

"Hi Dad."

Cas couldn't read minds in Purgatory but he didn't need to get inside Dean's mind to sense the intense feelings the hunter was suddenly struggling with. His heart had immediately started pounding in his chest and his breath hitched as he stared at the young Amazon that had just called him 'Dad'.

"Emma," Dean said simply.

"Dad?" Benny repeated, his voice questioning as he glanced back and forth between his friend and the young Amazon. "Started early, did you brother?"

Cas didn't know what to do. He wanted to slay the monster and keep moving but Dean's reaction caused him to falter. "Dean?" he questioned.

"I can kill her, right?" Nia asked, pulling out of Dean's grip and taking a step forward but hesitating also as she looked back at the hunter with a confused expression.

With everyone looking to him for a reaction, Dean held up a hand to stay Nia's attack. "Emma, get out of here," he said finally. "Turn around and go."

Cas knew then the Amazon was truly Dean's daughter. In all the time they had spent together traveling across Purgatory, Dean had not once mentioned that he had fathered an Amazon child but here he was, letting one go, his voice heavy with restrained emotions.

"I can't go back," the young warrior blurted. "I broke ranks. I'll be punished. I want to help you."

Dean seemed to pull himself together a bit. "What, like you did last time?" he accused harshly. "When you wanted to chop of my hands and feet and eat them with your morning waffles?"

Her expression drew into one of obvious remorse. "I told you I didn't have a choice," she said, sounding convincingly sincere.

"You always have a choice," was Dean's gruff reply.

"I didn't," she insisted. "See, if we don't kill our fathers, our super-speed aging doesn't stop. I would have died of old age inside a week."

Dean jaw clenched and he seemed to be soaking in this new bit of information. He glanced sideways at Cas. "That true?" he asked quietly.

Cas nodded, quickly putting two and two together to figure out what had happened back topside. An Amazon child grew quickly until she slayed her human father and ate his flesh to quell the accelerated growth.

"So you see, I couldn't just run away. It was you or me and I'm sorry I tried to make it you," Emma continued.

It would seem Dean had killed his own daughter… or Sam, perhaps? Maybe even Bobby.

Questions for later.

"Dean, we must go," Cas broke in, his tone urgent. Their conversation in the open and Emma's flaming torch would surely attract unwanted attention very soon.

"Why do you want to help?" Dean demanded, still addressing the young Amazon.

"Because you're my father," she said simply. "And here, in Purgatory, I don't need to kill you to survive. I'm seventeen forever. So let me help you."

Nia shook her head. "I don't trust her, Dean."

"The Amazons don't know who you are," Emma argued, ignoring Nia. "They don't know you're a hunter and I haven't told them anything. I could have told them you're Dean Winchester but I didn't."

"We should just kill her," Nia sang impatiently, looking again to Dean for permission.

"They want you to get this one pregnant and then they're going to kill you," Emma blurted, gesturing towards Nia. "They were getting mad because you and her wouldn't do the deed so they were going to eat the vampire in a few days to teach you a lesson. Then as soon as the queen had her human baby and her way through the door, they were going to kill you too."

Cas huffed his annoyance at the delay. They needed to keep moving, or at least take this conversation to a more private place.

"Why are you tellin' us all this?" Benny challenged.

"Because I don't want my father to die," she said simply. "I know the safest way to get you under the fence and I know the way to get out of these woods without getting sucked dry by the Shadows."

"Why should I trust you?" Dean asked, his jaw clenched as tightly as his fists.

Emma looked around incredulously. "Do you have a choice?"

"_Under_ the fence?" Cas asked, picking up on her terminology and trying to steer the conversation in a more helpful direction relevant to their immediate predicament.

Emma nodded. "There are tunnels. I can take you out one of the ones that's hardly used. It'll be practically empty."

Cas was hesitant to believe her and even less so to trust her but their options were certainly limited and a tunnel would be extremely helpful right now. In fact, it might be their only chance. He was certain the entire perimeter fence would be heavily guarded and even if they did get over or through it unseen, the forest on the other side was teeming with Shadows.

He looked to Dean. "It is up to you," he told his friend.

Dean rubbed a hand down his face before letting out a deep breath. "I think she's right," he said finally. "We don't exactly have a choice."

Cas didn't miss the hunter's avoidance to declare any trust in his daughter and wasn't heartened by the omission, but agreed with a nod.

"Lead the way," Dean gestured to Emma, who simply nodded and turned around, ducking between two shoddy dwellings and leading them into the shadows.

**~X~X~X~X~**

The group, now numbering five, made their way through the maze of dwellings, ducking and weaving in the shadows to avoid being seen. Despite their efforts, however, they were spotted on two separate occasions. Dean and Benny took care of the first one while Cas smited the second. Emma didn't flinch at the sight of her sisters being killed and the angel wasn't sure if this was a good sign or bad.

Eventually, she led them into a large, empty, three-sided shelter and started kicking away some dead branches from the back corner. Dean and Benny helped and a trapdoor was soon uncovered. Emma pulled it up and climbed down into the dark opening without another word.

Dean growled. "Well, here goes nothing," he grumbled before disappearing down the hole behind Emma. Cas quickly followed, worried about leaving the hunter alone with a monster who had previously tried to kill him. Nia was next and Benny brought up the rear, shutting the trapdoor above his head before jumping down.

"This way," Emma whispered, curling her fingers around Dean's elbow to tug him forward. The tunnel was dark and Emma's torch was their only source of light so Cas allowed Dean to follow her closely, using her torch to light his path also. Although Cas could see perfectly, he knew the humans could not and was not surprised when Nia's hand tucked in his and she moved to walk at his side, using him for guidance. Benny again brought up the rear, his vampire eyesight helping him in the darkness.

The tunnel had some partially collapsed areas where they had to climb over a pile of dirt and rocks or even dig their way through. Conversation was limited to what was necessary, especially when they reached a cross-tunnel and Emma whispered that this part may be used by warriors on their way out to the forest in attempts to ambush the Shadows from behind.

Sure enough, they soon found themselves face to face with a group of five Amazons. Emma tried to bluff her way past but one look at the four non-Amazons behind her and weapons were drawn. The fight was fierce and frantic in such a confined space and Benny took a spearhead in the arm but in the end, there were five dead Amazons on the tunnel floor, one of whom had been speared through the gut by Emma herself.

The angel's trust in her grew just a tiny bit.

They followed her for another fifteen minutes until the tunnel abruptly ended. Cas insisted on climbing the ladder at the end first, opening the camouflaged trapdoor made from woven tree branches and poking his head up to find himself surrounded by empty forest.

He motioned for the others to exit and soon they were stumbling over tree roots as they made their way in the dark away from the distant screams of the war being waged at the Amazon village walls. Emma had extinguished her torch upon leaving the tunnel.

Cas could feel the lifting spirits of the group as the horrific noises faded behind them. Benny finally let out a deep sigh of relief. "Well I'll be damned," he chuckled. "For a little bit there, I thought we were screwed."

"We're not safe yet," Emma warned, keeping up her fast pace as she led the way.

"Safer than we were an hour ago," Dean pointed out optimistically.

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than a group of seven Shadows suddenly appeared from the surrounding darkness. Cas spotted them first and barely got a cry of alarm out to warn the others before the Shadows were rushing forward, swooping in on the tired group of escapees.

Cas grabbed one by the throat and smited it before turning to check on his friends. It was obvious Dean, Nia, and Emma couldn't even see the creatures because they were looking around wildly in no particular direction. They didn't react at all to the three Shadows hurtling right at them until contact was made. All three of them slammed onto the ground, writhing and grappling with some unseen enemy but like the Amazons that had been killed during the nights on the road with Valista's hunting party, not a sound escaped any of them as they were enveloped in blackness.

Nia being the closest, Cas snatched up the one curling around her and smited it on the go as he kept running towards Dean. Benny's enhanced eyesight had given him an instant's warning and he was slicing his blade back and forth through one in front of him but to no avail. He too was soon on the ground, cloaked in blackness and as soon as Cas pulled the one off Dean, he left the hunter gasping for air behind him to save Benny. He yanked that one up into the air, smited it, and started back towards Emma only to see Nia hit the ground once more. Panting now, he changed direction and pulled yet another Shadow from her, sparing her a look of concern as she sucked in a deep breath and struggled to sit up.

"Cas!" he heard Dean call his name and quickly turned his attention back to the young Amazon writhing on the ground a few steps away. The hunter had fallen to his knees at her side and was swatting fiercely at the black void hovering around her, trying in vain to get a grip on it. Cas rushed over and smited it before dashing away after the last Shadow as it tried to flee. Fortunately, he caught it before it could warn others.

Having smited seven Shadows in a row on top of several Amazons during their escape, Cas felt a bone-deep weariness come over him and was breathing deep, raspy breaths as he staggered back to the group.

Dean was still on his knees, leaning over Emma with obvious concern. "Hey, hey, Emma? You alright?"

The Amazon girl looked frightened but nodded slowly and gripped her father's hand as he helped her sit up.

Cas felt his heart sink as he watched and realized what was happening. This was the last thing Dean needed. She may be his daughter and she may have risked her life to help them… but she was still a monster. This was not going to end well.

**~X~X~X~X~**

_Yay! Not even a cliffie this time (not __**really**__ anyway, lol). I had planned on taking this chapter further but it ended up longer than I expected and I am trying to get back on my once a week schedule so hopefully you found it entertaining enough for now but I'm afraid you're going to have to wait for the good stuff. Cas and Dean have a difference of opinion, Cas and Nia get closer, and we find out more about the shadow creatures as our little Band of Misfits nears the door! _


	11. Second Chances

_**Previously**__: The group is captured by the Amazons who want Dean and Nia to mate and give them a human baby so the queen (the Alpha) can raise it and use it to get her back topside through the door. Since the Amazons don't have the means to restrain Cas, he plays along until the Shadows attack the village then frees Dean, Nia, and Benny. They are trying to figure out how to get out of the fence around the village when Emma shows up, claiming to want to help save her father and she leads them out past the Shadows by means of an underground tunnel. Cas worries Dean will get attached._

_**Author's note**__: I just want to explain a little something I don't think I made very clear in the last chapter. The Amazons in the episode Slash Girls __**did**__ figure out Dean was a hunter before Sam killed Emma but here in Purgatory, the Amazon clan didn't know the male human they had __**was**__ Dean Winchester. They actually didn't pay him much attention past using him for a sperm donor because they see no value in men at all and Cas never divulged his name or the fact that he was a hunter. They might know who Dean Winchester was and they definitely hate hunters, but they just didn't realize the guy they had was one. The only dead Amazon besides Emma who would recognize him was the one Sam shot in the hallway and she either wasn't there or didn't see their prisoner first-hand. I hope that makes things a little clearer :)_

**Chapter 11 – Second Chances**

The bout with the Shadows had taken a toll on all four of Castiel's companions, this much was clear. Their faces were pale and each displayed its own version of a distraught expression. Even Benny looked unusually sad. Having never experienced it first-hand, Cas was not sure exactly what the after-effects of a Shadow attack, however brief, would be. From the reactions of his companions, he concluded there were definitely some emotional ramifications. It made sense, he decided, since sucking away at one's soul would surely expose raw emotions, tearing away one's natural defenses and leaving one vulnerable to intense feelings. They all moved in complete silence and he glanced down at Nia walking by his side just in time to catch a tear sliding down her cheek.

They pressed on, keeping up a harsh pace for as long as the two human staminas could take. The woods around the Amazon encampment were full of Shadows and Cas had to smite several more before the attacks stopped at dawn. The travelers pressed on through the day and the following night, trying to put as many miles between themselves and the no-doubt furious Amazon queen before her battle with the shadows ended and she turned her attention to retrieving her lost ticket back to the land of the living.

They finally stopped on the eve of the third night with Dean and Nia practically falling asleep before they hit the ground. Emma had been a quiet travel companion, keeping mostly to herself and speaking only with her father on their few very-short rest breaks. She was pleasant and polite and at least on the surface, seemed to lack the open hatred and the lust for killing that most creatures in Purgatory wore on their proverbial sleeves. Cas had no idea whether her aid was born of genuinely good intent or nefarious plotting and kept a close eye on her every move just in case.

He had to admit, she had been useful beyond their escape. She knew the territory, knew which trails were easier to traverse, which ones had more cover, and which ones could provide the best food for Dean and Nia. She explained what she knew of the door and its location and every detail corresponded with the information Benny had come by from the Centaur he had befriended three years ago. Emma was strong, stronger even than their resident vampire, and was quite proficient with a bow as well as a blade.

Her skill with weaponry did no good against the Shadows, however, who continued to plague the travelers at nights. The remnants of Castiel's angel powers were the only effective weapon against the non-corporeal enemy and camps with caves or three-sided shelters were soon being sought out so that he did not have to cover three-hundred and sixty degrees of attackable space around the group as they took turns sleeping. Even in the best of camps, the nights were tense because along with the usual monster attacks, the Shadows slithered in sporadically, trying their hardest to slip by the angel. Emma assured them the Shadow attacks would stop soon because even though not much was known about them, they reportedly remained strictly within a certain area of Purgatory that overlapped the Amazon's territory.

Emma opened up more as the days passed. She and Dean often walked side by side and Cas could see the hunter's growing fondness despite his daughter's monster heritage and murderous history. He had known Dean only a few short years but before arriving here in Purgatory, had inadvertently (okay, often intentionally) overheard many of his thoughts and had felt his baser emotions first-hand as they tended to emanate from him in powerful waves when the stakes were high. Cas had spent hundreds of hours reflecting on Dean and trying to unravel the mystery he often found his former charge to be. The angel may never understand the man's reasoning and he definitely didn't understand the countless movie references or his peculiar and somewhat disturbing affection for his automobile, but Cas believed despite that, he knew Dean well. Better than anyone else - with the obvious exception of Sam, who had the advantage of a shared childhood and an ability to relate. Cas certainly knew him well enough to know the hunter was dropping his guard and slowly allowing Emma to fill that void he had been carrying around since his young brother departed for college only to come back into Dean's life as a grown man, essentially leaving Dean childless. Dean may not be able to clearly identify or realize the extent of the yearning inside him – that need to parent, to have someone to guide and protect and devote himself to… but Cas had seen it.

His concern grew each day as they drew nearer and nearer to the valley where the door was reportedly located. Dean spent most of their down time with Emma at his side. She was tirelessly curious about his hunting life, movies and music (of which she had very little experience having lived only three days), but especially about Mary Winchester. She rarely asked about Sam and it became rapidly clear that her uncle had indeed been the one to kill her when Dean had hesitated.

Dean had hesitated. Having known her for only two minutes and facing her with a knife in her hand and a murderous glint in her eye, he had hesitated. Cas knew what family meant to Dean. He knew that Dean's notion of family went beyond shared isotopes on a DNA strand but he also knew it most certainly included that part too... blood relation. The deeper the bond Dean formed with Emma, the more devastating it would be when he had to leave her behind to a harsh eternity where she was alone and hunted by her own kind.

Cas wasn't certain where Benny stood on the matter of Emma but Nia's position was blatantly clear. In fact, she never failed to mention it at least three times a day. The woman was nothing if not honest. Dean's heartfelt plea for peace had quelled the rudest of Nia's remarks but the smaller woman never let her guard down or turned her back on the young Amazon warrior.

Sitting now on watch with only Nia for company, Cas listened to the even breathing of slumber drifting from the crevice behind them that was acting as their lodgings for the night. Nia had her arm linked in his and leaned against him, the slight frown on her face indicating she was lost in her thoughts.

"Do you trust her?" she blurted finally, keeping her voice low to not wake their three sleeping companions.

Cas knew she was referring to Emma. Nia may have been openly vocal about her lack of trust but so far but Cas had kept his misgivings to himself for Dean's sake. He still had much to learn about social customs but spending the better part of a year in a tight-knit group practicing human interactions had taught him a bit about tact.

He tilted his head and furrowed his brow but didn't answer right away.

Nia took his response as a 'no' and nodded her agreement. "Me neither. So why's she helping us?"

Cas released a slow exhale of breath in a sad-sounding sigh. He had his suspicions about the reason but had yet to voice them to Dean.

"I know Dean," he offered slowly. "I don't always understand him and he constantly surprises me but… when it comes to family, he is… predictable. He has an overwhelming sense of obligation. Emma is his family."

"No we're his family," Nia snorted. "Me, you, Benny and that brother topside that he never shuts up about. Emma's a monster."

"As is Benny," Cas pointed out.

"Benny's different."

"Why?" He arched a curious eyebrow. "What is different between him and Emma? You were quite eager to kill him for the first three months we traveled together, remember."

Her shoulder lifted in a small shrug against his side. "I was wrong."

"And what if we are wrong about Emma?"

"We're not. It's her monster nature to kill. And coz she's an Amazon, mostly to kill _her_ _father_." Her plump lips drew into a tight line. "If she tries to hurt Dean, I'll hack her into a million pieces like I did to Luthor," she added.

Cas couldn't suppress a smile at the ferocity in her voice. "I will not let Emma hurt Dean," he assured her.

Nia was not appeased and her frown remained. "So what is she after?" she asked again, trusting Cas to have the answer.

Cas decided to come clean about his fears. He felt incredibly at ease with this particular human and his first impulse was always to tell her the truth. "She is hoping he will take her through the door."

Nia tilted her head to peer up at him. "He can't. She'll die."

Cas remained silent, sorting his thoughts.

"She'll get old and die in less than a week unless she kills him," Nia continued. "Dean knows that."

The angel's shoulders slumped. "I know Dean," he repeated. "He is remarkable in many ways but has one weakness."

"Family?"

Cas nodded.

"But…but…he's not stupid." Nia's face expressed her confusion as much as her words. "I know I call him stupid but… he's not _that_ stupid… He can't be."

It was clear she was putting the pieces together, formulating Cas's belief that Dean was being charmed and manipulated into a relationship which would inevitably end in him sacrificing his life for his daughter's. Her mouth dropped open in a silent gasp.

"Emma saw an opportunity and she took it," Cas explained. "She betrayed her queen and stole the ticket through the door. In doing so, she cannot go back to her kind and the queen will never stop hunting her down for what she has done, even long after we are out of Purgatory. Dean knows this. He knows she is doomed here. And he believes he owes her for saving us."

The pair sat in heavy silence for a long minute.

"Are you going to kill her then?" Nia asked finally. "Just in case Dean gets stupid?"

Cas sighed again and nodded. "If it becomes necessary, I will."

"You want me to do it for you?" she offered brightly. "Coz I will… for you. You know, so you don't have it in between you and Dean."

The angel bit back a remark that Nia would be happy to chop Emma's head off for her own satisfaction and simply shook his head. "No. I will wait and see what happens."

He knew he would eventually have to approach the matter with Dean, to make sure the hunter wasn't contemplating the unthinkable scenario he and Nia were discussing, to prevent the undesirable option of having another betrayal hanging between them, weighing on the friendship he valued so dearly.

He broached the subject two days later, bluntly reminding Dean that if he took Emma through the door she would simply age out in a week unless she killed him – unless she chopped off his hands and feet and ate them.

As expected, Dean dismissed his concern. "I know that. Don't get your panties in a twist; she's just with us 'til we reach the door."

"You are becoming attached."

He got an eye roll with his response. "I've got it under control. God, you sound like Sammy."

Cas continued talking, expressing his remorse for the emotional turmoil Dean would surely experience when they left but pointing out that it was the only acceptable option.

Dean simply groaned but his expression grew darker, his facial muscles twitching with suppressed tension.

Cas kept pressing, not yet feeling assured by his friend's response. "My instincts tell me her intentions are not pure, Dean."

At that, Dean snapped at him. "Yeah? Well, last time you trusted your instincts Cas, mankind almost became Leviathan-chow and Sam had Lucifer frying his brain from the inside out!"

Cas flinched at the rebuke. "I thought you had forgiven me for my past mistakes."

"I have, Cas I have." Dean's voice softened a little and he rubbed a hand down over his face as if trying to wipe the tension away. "But that doesn't change what you did. That you were wrong. You just gotta learn to trust me, 'kay?"

Cas couldn't argue with that point. Not listening to Dean and not trusting him to know what was best had cost everyone dearly.

"Look, I know Emma's… a monster, okay? But she's still half human, half _mine_. I just want to get to know her a little while I can."

Perhaps Cas was wrong. He had yet to see Dean make a judgment error as grievous and costly as the ones both he and Sam had made. Perhaps he should trust the hunter would not do anything rash or… stupid.

**~X~X~X~X~**

A month passed. If Emma was pretending, her performance was flawless. She was sweet and thoughtful and a hard-working, contributing member of their group. Cas conceded that perhaps her intentions were pure but he didn't miss how protective Dean was becoming, how genuine his affection towards her was and Cas knew the danger that posed. If Dean decided to bring Emma home with them, the hunter would not forgive Cas if he stopped him. He began to see more and more that this could be the betrayal their friendship did not survive and his thoughts grew heavy as they drew closer to the valley with the door.

Nia on the other hand, never warmed up to the Amazon in their midst. Dean had to regularly break up verbal spats between the two young women and Cas could see the hunter's frustration with Nia. But the tiny human that held Cas's heart was simply being herself and Cas could not fault her for it. Nia called it like it she saw it and didn't hold back. It was one of the things Cas found most refreshing with her. He always knew where he stood and he never felt the confusion he often did among other humans with their sarcasm and bending of truths in the name of tact or manners.

Even more disturbingly, the Shadow attacks had not ceased. Despite being well out of their known territory, one or two - sometimes more - managed to find them almost every night.

The group pressed on and by the time they made camp, Cas figured they were no more than two days' travel from the elusive, mystical door to home. The angel was discussing the virtues of locusts with a disagreeing Benny while Nia sat cross-legged in the shade of the large rock formation they had chosen as camp, desperate to get out of the heat this part of Purgatory had surprised them with, a heat that remained even this late in the day.

Dean and Emma were off gathering fruit and water from a nearby stream for the evening meal. Cas suddenly interrupted his own lengthy explanation of the benefits the jagged edges of their hindmost legs offered the locusts to frown at the surrounding trees.

"What is it?" Benny questioned with a friendly smirk, looking decidedly grateful for the interruption. "You sense somethin', Dragonslayer? Are the feathers standin' up on the back of yer neck?"

Cas pulled his lips to one side in a feigned frown at both the tease and the nickname. "No, but it is dusk. Dean and Emma should be back by now."

As he rose to his feet he saw Benny's smile disappear and the vampire's hand tighten around his machete.

"They were headed down to that lil' river, right?" Benny demanded, already taking a step in that direction.

Cas turned, beckoning to Nia so he could follow. He could not leave her alone, not even for a minute. Not with nightfall just moments away and Shadows still finding them on a nightly basis.

"_Cas!"_ Dean's prayer was sudden and full of panic. "_Shado_…"

"Dean!" he answered out loud, racing forward into the trees in the vague direction from which he sensed the prayer had originated. It had been cut-off before he could derive an exact location.

It had to be a shadow, he thought as he ran. Not only had Dean started to say the word but Dean's first instinct was always to fight himself, never to call for help. The fact that he had prayed to Cas could only mean it was the one foe they had encountered against which he was completely defenseless. If he couldn't touch it, he couldn't fight it.

He ran blindly, aware of the tell-tale sounds of Benny and Nia trying frantically to keep up with him. He strained his angel-heightened hearing for any noise that could help him locate Dean, although not expecting to hear anything because when shadows attacked, they immobilized and silenced their prey while draining them of their soul and leaving nothing but an empty husk.

He was surprised, therefore, when he heard Emma's shouts in the distance.

"Get off him!" she was shrieking, sounding more furious than anything else.

There must only be one Shadow and it had clearly latched onto Dean. Cas steered himself in the direction of Emma's cries and picked up his pace, allowing the urgency of the situation to justify leaving Nia and Benny behind him, unprotected with possible Shadows in the area.

He broke out of the treeline onto the pebbled banking of the river to see Emma swinging her weapon wildly at a Shadow. The black shape appeared to be retreating, gliding swiftly across the pebbles with Emma chasing it, her blade passing uselessly through its nothingness. A quick glance took in the image of Dean lying deathly still on the ground by the stream and Cas felt the sharp pain inside that he had recently identified as panicked fear of losing his closest friend.

He bolted after the fleeing Shadow but it was moving quickly. An alarmed gasp in Nia's voice brought his attention back to the scene behind him and he reluctantly let the Shadow disappear into the almost-dark. He turned back towards Dean and was sinking to one knee at his side by the time Nia and Benny had made it over to them.

_Please don't let him be dead. Please!_

Cas was surprised to find himself praying to his Father after all this time and from this God-forsaken place but didn't have time to ponder the act because the fingers he had splayed over Dean's chest were feeling life beneath them. Dean was alive!

The Shadow had not drained him fully. It had certainly taken something from the hunter but his soul was intact. His eyes were vacant and his skin pale and drawn, but he was breathing. Cas could not determine the extent of the damage but was hit with an overwhelming sense of relief that his friend still lived.

"Is he….?" Benny stammered from somewhere behind Cas.

Cas shook his head and pressed his fingertips to Dean's forehead, his mouth forming a tight line in renewed frustration at his lack of healing mojo. He would never get used to being so helpless.

Emma knelt down on the other side of Dean. She reached forward and shook him gently. "Dad?" No response. "Dad?" Cas watched her wave a hand in front of his face. "Dad?"

A whimper escaped the hunter and his body jerked. A low groan followed and his long lashes fluttered open and closed.

"Dad?" Emma had a fist wrapped in the front of his shirt and a relieved smile on her face.

Nia squatted down next to her while Benny hung back, hovering just behind them.

"Dean, you okay?" Nia whispered. "You got sucked!"

"I'm good," Dean croaked, waving both women away. "I'm good."

He rolled towards Cas, not touching him but leaning his cheek oddly close to his leg, hunching his shoulders in such a way the angel sensed he was seeking privacy or… shelter. Comfort.

Cas held a hand up to the others, indicating for them to back off. "We must get back to the camp," he said evenly. "It is dark. I cannot protect you all in the open and there may be more Shadows."

He helped Dean to his feet and started moving in the direction of the rock formation they had chosen for this night's camp. The hunter leaned heavily on him and Cas couldn't help find his behavior a little odd. Physically, he believed Dean could walk by himself but the hunter kept an arm around his shoulders, his fist wrapped tightly in Cas's tattered trench coat and his face hung low. He seemed… vulnerable. Needy.

Cas remained silent and gripped his friend tighter.

"What happened?" Benny demanded of Emma as they walked briskly through the trees.

"We had to come upstream because there was a Dilliper nest so we were running a little late but we thought we still had time," she gushed, sounding genuinely worried and apologetic. "But you know how quick dusk comes and goes so suddenly the sun's gone and there's the shadow. There was still a little light so we saw it like a split second before it jumped on Dad. He had a little warning but it didn't matter because you can't stop a Shadow."

_On the contrary_, Cas thought. That split second's warning had allowed a quick-thinking Dean to send his prayer.

He spared a glimpse at the face of the silent hunter hanging off his shoulder and was shocked to see wetness glistening in the tiny sliver of light the Purgatory night sky offered. A practical river of tears were streaming down his cheeks, overwhelming sadness pouring from his eyes. Dean must have sensed the scrutiny for he tilted his head farther downwards, not bothering to look where he was treading anymore and simply relying on Cas not to lead him astray. His grip tightened.

As Cas ran the disturbing scene back at the river through his mind, it suddenly occurred to him that the Shadow had been retreating when he had arrived. It had already pulled off Dean and started to flee _before_ the threat of an angel had been known to it. He questioned Emma on his observation.

She shrugged. "I don't know," she said as she kept walking a few paces ahead. "I was swinging at it but it wouldn't get off him then it just rose up and started moving away. It wasn't anything I did." She threw her father a distraught glance. "I wish it was but it wasn't."

Deep creases appeared in the angel's forehead as he pondered what this could mean. Why would a Shadow let a fully-immobilized victim go? A human, nonetheless. Quite a sought-after prize…

That was it. The Shadows must know of the gate. Could they too be trying to use the humans to their benefit? Much like the Amazon Alpha had? He didn't know what the Shadows were, in all his millennia he had never come across them on Earth, but he had determined they fed on souls. He could see no reason they would not feed hungrily off the rare pure soul of a human helpless in their grasp until he was completely drained.

This could be problematic. Although vaguely reassuring that the Shadows would attempt to keep Dean and Nia alive if captured, with four members of his group completely defenseless against them, the threat they presented definitely rivaled that of the Leviathan. Fortunately, the Leviathan attacks had been few and far between since Cas had lost much of his mojo - their way of sniffing him out.

They reached the rock formation and Cas ducked to lead Dean into the most sheltered part of it. "Everybody inside," he ordered. "I shall stay out here on guard.

Dean shook his head and dug his heels in. "No," he whispered in Cas's ear. "I'll just stay out here with you, 'kay?"

He kept his head tucked into Cas's shoulder and even whispering, his voice was echoing with sadness. Cas nodded without looking at him and lowered him to the ground at the mouth of the shelter. "The rest of you, get inside," he said, his voice blank.

Dean was taking great care to avoid looking the others in the eye and if any of them noticed the tears, they kept it to themselves and obeyed Cas quietly, all three squeezing into the shelter of the rock formation and giving Dean his space.

Cas lowered himself to the ground in a sitting position by Dean and the two remained silent for a long time. Dean was hunched over with his face buried in his knees, the occasional shudder running the length of his spine and muffled sobs escaping him. Cas knew his friend was suffering the effects of Shadow stripping his soul bare and was touched that Dean had chosen him to trust the most, to allow to see him so vulnerable when he clearly wanted distance from the others. He was moved to know that the deep bond he had always felt with this particular human was in fact returned in kind, even after all Cas had done to test it.

They sat in close silence for a very long time. "Are you hungry?" Cas ventured after a couple of hours, worry finally overcoming his desire to not embarrass the emotionally guarded hunter. What if Dean's soul had been damaged after all?

Dean raised his head and the look on his face did nothing to quell Cas's fears. There were hints of embarrassment and shame but it was mostly a look of utter sadness. "What the Hell's wrong with me, Cas?" he rasped.

Cas tilted his head and gave him a sympathetic look but didn't answer before Dean was speaking again.

"It's like every second of grief and loss and sadness I've ever had is back and… smothering me. I… I can't shake it."

"It will pass," Cas assured him, sounding far more confident than he felt. "It is an after-effect of having your soul stripped and exposed by the Shadow. It seems they draw out the sadness. You remember the last time the four of you got attacked by them? This one had you longer, it is having a more profound effect on you."

He lifted a hand and placed it gently on Dean's shoulder. "I will stay with you until it passes, Dean. It is okay to cry."

If anything, his comment succeeded in embarrassing Dean further but the hunter managed a weak smile and Cas's worries about permanent damage started to fade. Dean even tried to make light of the situation with his trademark false bravado. "Cas, I swear, if you ever tell anybody about this, I'll tear you a new one."

"I understand," Cas said gravely, though he had no idea what new 'thing' Dean was going to tear. His response did earn him a half-hearted chuckle from Dean and silence fell upon them for a pause. "What does it feel like to cry?" the angel blurted, curious. "Does it relieve the sadness?"

Dean dried his cheeks with his sleeve, only to have new tears instantly replace those he wiped away. "Not really. No more than scratching relieves those damn itchy rashes hot redhead Ohio diner waitresses leave you with."

**~X~X~X~X~**

Dean finally fell asleep, lying back on the ground next to Cas with his jacket bunched up under his head. Cas remained where he was, his eyes keeping sharp watch on the surrounding tree line for any signs of Shadows. Strangely enough, none appeared.

At one point in the middle of the night, Nia stuck her head out and asked in a hushed voice if Dean was better. Cas assured her he would be fine and her head disappeared back into the shelter. A small smile tugged at his lips when two seconds later he heard her relaying the news to Benny. It occurred to him that Dean was the heart of their group, of their 'little family', much like Cas suspected he had been the heart of the Winchester family growing up. There was certainly an inexplicable appeal to the man, an effect he had on those around him that Dean alone didn't seem to notice.

Dean was still slow and sluggish and not quite back to himself by morning but the overwhelming sadness had subsided enough that he managed to pull his usual façade back on and pretend. He did an admirable job, participating in the banter and deflecting any prodding questions with his usual sarcastic wit. Cas could tell it was forced but was relieved nonetheless to see his friend smile and to hear him gripe about the green fruit and the hard ground and the uncomfortable heat this part of Purgatory offered.

As they set out on their daily travel, Cas explained his theory that the Shadows did not actually attempt to kill Dean yesterday but were instead just retrieving information from him. He told them it was his belief they had likely obtained enough of Dean's memories that they knew where the group was headed, that they knew about the door and were somehow looking to 'hitch a ride' topside for themselves as individuals or for a leader.

Nia snorted. "Nobody's getting a ride back with us except Benny," she stated firmly, giving Emma a pointed look. "_Nobody_. I'll make sure of that."

Subtlety was never one of Nia's virtues. Cas noticed Dean's mouth tighten and the way he averted his eyes at Nia's comment and decided quickly that another conversation was due.

He got his chance that afternoon when they stopped for a brief rest and lunch. He remained with Dean while Benny, Emma, and Nia headed off to scour for food, which had been growing more scarce of late.

"You still cannot bring Emma with us," he said bluntly, coming to stand in front of the hunter, who was perched on a large rock sharpening his blade.

Instead of denying it, this time Dean flitted his green eyes briefly towards the angel before averting them quickly in a manner that implied guilt. Cas knew then Dean had made up his mind to bring his daughter with him and sacrifice himself on the other side to allow her to live.

"Dean, no," he said, his voice coming out more sternly than intended. "I won't let you."

Dean's stare hardened. "It's not your decision, Cas."

"You are my friend. I will not let you die."

"She's my daughter!" Dean was on his feet now. "Her choices are to stay here and get hunted by her own kind and probably sucked dry by a Shadow - which is one of the most horrifying things I've ever experienced and considering where I've been, that's saying something - or come back topside and age out in a week and end up right back here still hunted by her kind. Or… " He shrugged a single shoulder. "Or I could give her a chance at a life. She doesn't want to join her bitch mom and the other Amazons. The way they treated her - she wants to be normal. She's just a kid for Christ's sake."

Cas shook his head, not swayed by Dean's passionate argument. "She is not just a kid."

"No, you're right. She's _my_ kid."

"I cannot let you do this."

"You have no right to stop me." Anger was evident in Dean's words but he bit his tongue and rolled his shoulders in obvious effort to rein it in before continuing. "It'll be alright, Cas. I'm due for an early grave anyway, we both know that. Let me at least do something with my death. We'll be topside when I bite it. I'll go to heaven." He huffed out a poor attempt at a laugh. "You can even come visit me in my best memory recap."

"Dean, no." The angel's insides felt like they were tied up in knots.

"Cas, please," Dean fired back, "just let me do this."

"Benny and Nia will not stand for this. Especially Nia."

"They won't know it's happening 'til it's over. Don't tell them."

"What about Sam?" Cas knew nobody, not even Emma, would ever come before Sam in Dean's mind.

Dean's face sagged and a sadness like that the Shadow had inflicted him with showed in his expression once more. "I'll wait a few days before putting Emma back inside her body. That'll give me time to put my shit together. To find him, make sure he's alright, say my goodbyes."

Cas swallowed, realizing just how much thought Dean had put into this. "Dean, no," he repeated, at a loss for words.

"I'm not asking permission here. This is my right, my choice to make."

Cas shook his head again, refusing to agree to this unfathomable plan.

Dean's rising agitation was becoming more and more evident and he lashed out. "Don't you dare interfere, okay? After all the ways you screwed me over in the last couple of years, you are _not_ gonna do it to me again. You _owe_ me this."

Cas's next words of argument got caught in his throat. Dean was right. It was not his place to take this choice from his friend. Had he not been one third of Dean's 'Team Free Will', fighting for the right to make such a choice and not have fate or destiny or… or Castiel the Angel make it for you?

But this still felt so wrong. He knew it was his personal needs and wants influencing his position in this for he simply did not want to lose Dean. He was at a loss about what to do, what to say, how to react. This entire situation was so unjustly tragic.

His inner turmoil was interrupted by a panicked prayer from Nia. There were no words, just mumbles and fear.

"Nia is in trouble," he said, turning and running into the trees with a brief thought that he should stop letting any of his friends out of his sight. Naturally Dean was right behind him.

He heard Emma's voice before he caught sight of Nia. "I deserve to live too, you interfering little bitch," she was hissing hatefully. Cas ran out into in an area of tall hardwood trees surrounding a large pond with brown, murky waters and was shocked at what he saw. The young Amazon was crouched at the edge of the water with one fist wrapped in Nia's hair, holding her head down forcefully. Nia was thrashing wildly but Emma's far superior strength was keeping her face completely submerged in the water. "I'm not gonna let you stop him," she spat during the two seconds it took for Cas to reach her.

He slammed a fist into her side and Emma flew thirty feet through the air to slam hard against a tree. His attention was immediately diverted to a gasping Nia trying to lift her head and he hauled her up into a sitting position, dropping to his knees in the mud next to her to wrap his arms around her tiny frame.

Dean was already out of the trees, his head twisting back and forth between Emma and Nia. The look on his face was one of devastation and Cas felt a pang of sympathy for him through his overwhelming worry for Nia, who was still coughing and shivering and clinging to his trench coat.

"What did you do?" It was Dean who found his voice first and he aimed the accusation right at Emma.

"She attacked me first!" Emma cried, pointing.

Benny chose that moment to enter the scene but nobody even turned their heads at his arrival.

Dean turned to Nia. "Is that true?"

Nia shook her head, still breathless and leaning into Cas. "I turned and she's s-standing there with her bow drawn," she panted. "Sh-she shot me…" Cas was shocked when he looked down and noticed a dark blood stain on her left thigh, the jagged edge of a broken arrow protruding from its center. He immediately moved to tear the fabric of her pants open at that spot to examine the wound.

Nia kept on talking to Dean. "I moved but she still got me in the leg and then she came after m… ahh!" She cried out in pain when Cas unceremoniously yanked the stub of the arrow out and she paused to catch her breath and while he pressed a palm on the open wound.

"We fought," she continued finally through clenched teeth, waving a hand as if that explained the rest.

"She's lying!" Emma exclaimed, her expression suitably indignant. "You all know she hates me! She threatens me every day! She's lying!"

Dean closed his eyes for a long second before looking back to Emma. "In all the time I've known Nia, she's never lied," he said. "Not once."

"You're gonna believe a crazy chick over your own daughter?"

"She doesn't lie, Emma," Dean said, more sternly.

It was the truth. Nia said exactly what she was thinking, even when what she was thinking didn't make any coherent sense whatsoever to Dean and Benny, but she had never lied. Cas didn't put it past her to attack Emma – especially since she thought Dean might be at risk - but she would have admitted it openly afterwards and told Dean exactly why she did it.

It was apparent from the hurt expression on his face Dean knew this also. Cas could practically see the hunter's heart breaking and his own tightened painfully in response. How much more would this man be forced to endure?

Dean's voice was tight and his fists were now clenched at his sides. "Emma, leave."

Emma looked shocked. "But… Dad, I have nowhere to go."

"That's on you," Dean replied curtly.

The young Amazon's eyes sought out her father's and she gave him an imploring look. "Dad… you told me yesterday you would take me with you…"

"And I would have… Damnit, Emma I believed you! I believed all that crap about just wanting a normal human life. I gave you that chance but this –" he gestured towards Nia, "- this just proves you're… you're not human."

"I'm half human. Dad, please, by sending me away you're killing me," she pleaded.

Dean shook his head, looking stricken. "That's… you can't put that on me," he croaked.

"Dad, don't do this."

Cas frowned. She was really pushing the 'dad' point, rubbing it in Dean's face and tormenting him with it. The angel had his arms around Nia, holding her close with one hand pressed to the wound in her leg, and he didn't interfere. None of them did. This was between Dean and Emma now. The three onlookers remained silent as they watched the heartwrenching scene before them.

"I risked everything for you!" Emma cried.

Dean's voice was thick with hurt and disappointment. "And I was going to give up everything for you!" he fired back. "I was going to die for you."

"She wasn't going to let it happen!" She pointed to Nia. "She told me as much every single day. She would have interfered. I had no choice!" Cas wondered if she realized she was echoing the excuse she had used about trying to kill Dean topside, before Sam had killed her to save his brother.

Dean swallowed and shook his head, clearly not fooled this time. "I thought somehow your humanity had beaten the monster in you like Benny's did. I mean, you're half mine… I really thought you could be good."

"I am good!" Tears were now streaming down her cheeks and she stepped towards her father, reaching out a hand. "Please Dad, please! Don't send me away! Take me with you."

Dean stepped back, maintaining the distance. "Just go."

"Dad…" Emma sobbed, her lashes heavy with tears and the full lips she had inherited from her father trembling.

"Damnit, just go!" Dean snapped, his voice hoarse.

Emma's eyes flashed fierce, ever so quickly, far too quickly for Dean to have seen it but Cas knew right there and then that this was all a ploy. That she had intended to charm and manipulate Dean into sacrificing himself for her all along. He had no doubts she would have spared no remorse for her father's death once topside. In fact, she probably would have enjoyed it.

"Dean!" He barely had time for the warning cry to pass his lips before she was lunging. Swooping down as she charged forward to pick up Nia's lost blade from the mud and swinging it in a wide arc at Dean in one fluid movement. Dean did not have time to pull his own blade from the vines he used to holster it to his thigh or even to duck out of the way.

Benny's machete cut the swing short with a loud clang. She parried quickly and swung back at the vampire, their blades again clashing in mid-air. Her Amazon strength outmatched Benny's and he was thrown back onto his ass on the ground within seconds. Cas slid himself out as gently as he could with such speed from where he was still holding Nia, determined to reach the fight before the scimitar aiming at Benny's head found purchase. He wasn't liking his chances of getting there in time.

He stopped his mad dash short when he heard the distinct _zing_ sound of steel slicing air and the crunch of bone. He watched as Emma's head dropped to the ground, followed slowly by her swaying decapitated body. Dean was standing behind her, blood dripping from the blade still gripped tightly in his hand.

There was a heavy silence during which Cas felt a new sensation, like there was a lump lodged in his throat. It crept over him while he watched the wave of emotions wash across his friend's features as Dean stared down at the daughter he had just killed.

"It is not your fault," Cas stated. _Why was his throat so constricted and his voice so heavy?_

Benny spoke up for the first time. "It was just her nature, brother. Amazons are born to kill their fathers."

Dean ran the back of his hand hastily across his cheek, leaving a tiny trail of wetness in its wake. His voice trembled slightly. "I thought she could be… she was still my family, you know?"

Nia spoke up, her words delivered softly yet unmistakably heartfelt. "We're your family, Dean."

The hunter managed a smile. "Ya, I know, Nee. I know."

**~X~X~X~X~**

_**A/N:**__ Okay, rough chapter for Dean, I know. Next chapter has the Cas-Nia moment that never made it into this one, an explanation of the Shadows and what's going on there, and the final chaos at the gate. Who will make it through? Hope ya'll are still interested in finding out. _


	12. Bottlenecked

_**Previously: **__The gang escaped the Amazons during the Shadow attack on the village aided by Emma. She and Dean bond as they travel together for a couple of months, still plagued by Shadows attacking at night. Dean secretly offers to take her back, knowing she will have to kill him to live once they get topside, but Nia is pretty vocal about her distrust of the Amazon. Emma tries to kill Nia and a fight breaks out, in which Dean cuts off Emma's head._

**CHAPTER 12 - Bottlenecked**

Castiel's estimated two-days of travel to the valley containing the elusive door turned into four. The rest of the first day was spent where they were because Dean insisted on burying Emma since burning wasn't an option. The Amazons were the only creatures they had come across brave enough to light fires and torches and Cas didn't particularly want to risk going another round with a dragon so Dean and Benny toiled to dig a deep hole in the rocky ground while Cas patched up Nia's leg.

After months traveling with two frequently-injured mortals, Cas was becoming quite skilled at tending wounds despite his lack of celestial healing powers. He had discovered his angel abilities still allowed him to assess the damage inside by analyzing the blood flow and taking a single peek inside the cut. The arrowhead had not damaged anything vital and when he pulled it out, he had made sure to reverse the exact route and angle through which it had entered. Provided they kept the cut clean, Nia should heal nicely with only a small scar as reminder of the day's tragic events.

Nia had previously allowed Cas to patch up her injuries on many occasions but this one was higher on her thigh than most and Cas found himself unusually nervous as he knelt before her and dabbed gently around the wound. She had surprised him by taking her boots and pants all the way off to give him access and her bare feet now rested on his knees, her toes curling against his thigh whenever he touched a particularly painful spot. Between hisses and winces of pain, she kept smiling at him in a way that he couldn't quite decipher.

From the moment the last stone was placed on the small cairn atop Emma's final resting place, the young Amazon's name had not been mentioned. Dean's face was grim and he moved about the camp in virtual silence as they readied it for the night. At one point, Nia rose to her feet and limped over to the hunter, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. Dean's eyes registered surprise and even a little embarrassment but he returned the hug and the two remained like that for a few minutes until she pulled away and gave him a small, questioning smile.

"It's okay, Nee," Dean said in a hushed voice. "I'm okay._ We're_ okay."

Once they did finally get back on the proverbial road, their progress was slow. Nia was using a stick as a cane to help keep her weight off her injured leg as she walked. Dean kept up but was quiet and what halfhearted banter he did offer was lacking its usual enthusiasm. Despite being so close to something they had all been fighting to reach for the better part of a year, their spirits were low.

There were no signs of Shadows. Strangely, there had been no sign of them since Dean had been assaulted by one, despite multiple attacks every night leading up to that. Benny kept dismissing Castiel's voiced concerns, telling him not to look a gift horse in the mouth, which was apparently a saying referring to the story of the horse full of soldiers the enemy sent into the walled city of Troy as a gesture of peace. His thoughts heavy with worry and empathy for a despondent Dean, Cas didn't even bother to correct the vampire's incorrect historical facts. The wooden horse had been eleven inches high and had housed nothing but a note promising gold to whoever slipped open a side door in the dark of night. The ruse had not worked at all.

They reached the valley near dusk on the fourth day. It was in fact more of a canyon or a wide, rocky gorge, but it fit the description Benny had been given. They stood side by side in silence for a long moment at the head of the trail, staring down at the expanse of trees and rocks below them. About five or six miles ahead, they could see the rocky hump in the middle, where the hidden gate was supposed to exist, lurking unseen and waiting for the presence of a misplaced human soul to reveal itself.

"We ain't reachin' that tonight," Benny drawled, eyeing the low Purgatory sun with unease. "I say we find camp near here, up at the top. If we hunker down someplace down in there," he pointed down into the gorge and the narrow trail that wound along between two sheer faces of stone, "we could get penned in real easy."

"You are right," Castiel agreed quickly, noticing Dean's features pulling into a stubborn look of argument. "I smell Rawhead. Give me ten minutes and I will seek out the cave I suspect is near here and vacate it for us." He strode off quickly before Dean could protest and heard Benny speaking quietly the background.

"And here I used to think Hot Wings was more trouble than help," the vampire chuckled. "He sure does come in handy sometimes."

"I don't even wanna think about how many times our asses would've been toast without Cas, man."

Cas smiled to himself at the exchange. He would never tire of hearing proof Dean had forgiven him for all his past mistakes and of his value to the group. Following the orders of Heaven and the supposed word of God had never given him the sense of purpose protecting these mere three souls had. He felt a closer kinship or bond to his traveling companions of less than a year than he ever had with his angel brothers and sisters, with many of whom he had spent decades or even centuries in their company. He didn't understand it but he certainly recognized the truth of it.

Rawheads were foul-smelling creatures so he located their cave easily. He killed its two occupants with the blade he carried, deciding to preserve his mojo in case of emergency. He brought the others over and they quickly disposed of the bodies before going about their nightly ritual of gathering any food they could find nearby, filling the water flasks, and arranging the watch schedule. Although nobody said aloud that this would be their last night together here, like this, doing this, there was a nostalgic air about the camp.

Darkness came quickly as usual and Cas sat watch outside alone while the others ate in the safety of the cave. Nia soon came out to sleep, curling up beside him, her habit when circumstances permitted. The cave was well situated and Cas had an excellent vantage point of all their surroundings so he welcomed her company. It was a very warm night, as they had found to be the norm in this part of Purgatory, and she simply lay down on top of her heavy, well-worn coat, resting her head on his thigh. She was asleep within minutes.

Cas absently ran his fingers down her face, brushing aside a stray lock of hair as he listened to the hushed conversation between the two men behind him in the cave. Sometimes he felt guilty eavesdropping when there was every indication it was intended to be a private conversation but he figured his companions knew he had heightened hearing ability and if it was indeed private, they should not speak in such close proximity to an angel. It was Benny's soft voice he heard first.

"Listen, Dean, about what happened with Emma, I ain't really said thanks. You did what you did to save my hide and... I appreciate it, brother."

Dean's reply sounded tired and Cas wasn't all that surprised he defended his daughter. "She was just tryin' to survive, you know?"

"Yeah, she was," the vampire agreed, patiently waiting to see if Dean would open up. So far, the hunter hadn't spoken about the incident and nobody had pressed him, even Nia.

"I offered her _my_ life, but she shouldn't… she shouldn't have tried to take anyone else's."

"You don't have to justify or excuse what you did. She was more Amazon than Winchester. Don't forget that."

"Yeah, I know. You remember that first couple of weeks Nia was with us?"

Benny let out a quiet chuckle. "You mean back when she wanted to take my head off?"

"Hunh, good times." Dean responded with a laugh of his own but his mirth was short-lived. "Remember she got pissed at me for hesitating when the changeling kid showed up?" he continued. "She said '_this is Purgatory, don't think, just kill'_. I shouldn't have forgotten that."

"Don't be so quick to throw away your humanity, Dean. You're gonna need to forget Little Bit's words of wisdom in about twelve hour's time when we reach the door and get back to civilization."

Dean was quiet and Cas pictured him nodding - at least, he hoped he was nodding for as much as he understood and loved Nia, he didn't want Dean to change, to lose himself completely in the violence of this place like she almost had.

"Speaking of Nia and civilization," Benny continued gravely. "You know she don't want to reach the door, right?"

"She'll sort herself out once we get home," Dean dismissed. "When she sees her family again."

"I think you're being a tad optimistic on that one, brother."

"She's come a long way since that crazy, little, dirty thing Cas dragged in. She'll adjust." Dean sounded confident.

"She's been here a long time," Benny argued. "A year with that monster Luthor... and before that, don't forget she was possessed by a demon for a year. What she's seen, what she's done, you don't just tuck all that away."

Cas glanced back into the dark cave to see Dean shrug.

"I spent four decades in Hell. I tucked it away."

"In case you haven't noticed, she ain't you."

"No, but she's a survivor."

"Can't argue that but…" The vampire gave an unconvinced grunt.

"Whatever happens, however she handles it, she'll have us to help her out," Dean stated in a determined voice.

Benny chuckled. "A hunter, a vampire, and an angel? Yeah, that oughta help her adjust to civilian life again just fine."

Cas glanced back once more to find Dean's gaze on him and Nia, who was sleeping soundly with her head in his lap and one small arm wrapped around him. He saw a glint of white teeth in the pale light as the hunter grinned in his direction.

"Something tells me the hunter and the vampire won't be needed."

**~X~X~X~X~**

Benny's words troubled Cas and he spent the next few hours pondering them. He had assumed protecting Nia would be simple once they made it home. The dangers for her topside were minimal and nothing he could not handle when he restored his connection to Heaven and got the full extent of his celestial powers back. But he had only been looking at 'protecting' from a physical perspective. Dean, although harder to protect from physical danger because of his involvement in Lucifer's uprising and his well-known name amongst demons and monsters, had always taken care of his emotional well-being himself, albeit often not that effectively. Cas had tried to comfort the hunter on occasion but was aware he had not been particularly helpful in that regard. He had always attributed Dean's emotional perseverance to Sam. Cas did not feel prepared nor worthy to help Nia in such a manner should she require it.

It was a couple of hours before dawn and Nia was awake on watch with him, both Dean and Benny sound asleep in the cave behind them. She sat cross-legged on her coat at his side, pulling a forked stick through her hair to remove the tangles.

"Benny believes you do not wish to leave Purgatory," Cas blurted, frowning down at her. "Is this true?"

Her hand dropped to her lap and she peered back up at him, her teeth pulling at her bottom lip. Finally, she shook her head slowly. "I want to stay like this. With you." She tipped her head towards the mouth of the cave behind them. "With them."

"You can't."

"I know. They want to go home and you want to go home but... I am home." She paused and let out a long sigh. "I'll go because I would go anywhere to stay with you but I'm scared. Things are gonna change tomorrow no matter what happens and I don't want things to change. I like the four of us together, just like this. This is the happiest I've ever been."

"Nia, you have to go through that door," Cas said gravely, suddenly worried about what would happen when they reached the door tomorrow. There was still a chance the door would not work for angels and that his human vessel's completely dormant soul would not be sufficient to let him pass. Would she refuse to go if he could not?

_Of course she would_.

"I need you to live," he pressed urgently. "You are my redemption, my one good thing to atone for all the terrible things I have done."

She tilted her head and her eyes grew sad. "Is that the only reason?"

"No." He shook his head quickly, realizing what he had implied. "Nothing would hurt me more than to see you die Nia, and if we stay here, you will die. And if you do not leave, you know Dean will not leave and he too will die. I can barely protect you both now and the pureness of your souls will never diminish. They will never stop attracting every twisted, tainted soul in this place. I need you to go through that door no matter what happens. I need you to live."

She smiled at him. "That's why I'll go. Don't worry."

Slightly comforted, Cas let himself relax. Nia scooted closer to him and took one of his hands in hers as she rested her head against him.

"Won't you be happy to return to your old life?" he asked, curious. Dean had spoken about getting back to Sam for the entire duration of their time here in Purgatory and Benny had often admitted his eagerness to see modern day Louisiana and check in on his familial descendants but Nia had yet to mention her life before Crowley's demon had possessed her over four years ago. "Do you not wish to see your other family once more?"

She scrunched up her face. "Nia Singh had a brother and a sister and divorced parents who lived in Utah. She went to NYU and was acing her way to an accounting degree with a 4.0 grade average. She even had a boyfriend. A decent guy called Rob." She sighed. "She was happy with her life but she's gone. She died a long time ago. That family lost her the day a demon came and took her. I don't feel... I don't feel any connection to her anymore. Or to her family." Her eyes locked on his. "Dean wouldn't understand but I just don't care about them. They don't mean anything to me because I'm not that Nia anymore and they're not my family anymore. You are. You and Dean and Benny."

Cas frowned. "I'm unsure if you speaking of your past self in the third person is a healthy sign of your mental state or not," he admitted.

And short burst of her cheery laughter rang out. "Are you worried about my mental state, Cas?"

He tilted his head and pursed his lips in thought. "I wouldn't be, but Dean and Benny are and they understand such things far better than I do."

She squeezed his fingers that were entwined in her small hand. "I love that about you. You always tell me the truth. No games, no lies, no stupid politeness. That's why I trust you so much."

"That is interesting, for that is the same reason I enjoy your company as much as I do. I find it refreshing."

"That your way of saying you like me, Cas?"

"Like would be phrasing it far too mildly."

He could see the grin that lit up her face without actually turning his head to face her and he smiled. He enjoyed it when he said something pleasing to her.

They sat in comfortable silence for the next half hour and Cas decided not to question the quietness and the lack of native life he could sense in the surrounding night, choosing instead to simply enjoy the reprieve from Purgatory's constant dangers. He could tell Nia was deep in thought and wished briefly that he could still read minds but found his angel abilities were not needed when her next statement made that clear.

"Crowley's demon that possessed me was called Ryden."

She gave him a nervous look and he nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"He killed people and he hurt people and he enjoyed it. He... he had sex with people too. Women, mostly, because he liked women. He'd keep me awake for most of what he did, especially the really bad stuff, like the killing people stuff. I couldn't _do _anything though. I tried and I tried but he had complete control over me. Then we..." She hesitated and gave him an apologetic glance, "then you And Crowley sent us here."

Cas felt a renewed wave of shame and guilt at the mention of his blame in all she had been through. "I..."

She cut him off with a wave of the hand. "You made mistakes, I know the story. And besides, I was in a demon." She smiled up at him. "You came looking for me though. I don't blame you at all." Over the past months, Cas and Dean had indeed shared the entire saga of the Apocalypse, the Yellow-Eyed Demon, the sixty-six seals, the Mother, and the Leviathan. Nia's friendliness towards the angel had never wavered, even upon the discovery of the magnitude of his sins and arrogance.

She kept on with her story, as if determined to get it all out before she lost her nerve. "Then Walker had us and even when the demon left and Walker stopped torturing, he still had control coz I couldn't survive without him. Not then, before I learned how to make a bow and arrows and how to hide my smell and how to kill each kind of monster."

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing on with her story. Cas knew what part was coming next and could feel her willing herself to say the words out loud. He wondered why she was suddenly telling him this after all this time and thought it was perhaps because he had questioned her mental state. Or perhaps it was because it was their last night before the uncertainty tomorrow would bring.

"Then Luthor got me. He fed on me almost every day and when vampires feed, they get... lustful. He'd feed and do whatever he wanted to me and I was so weak I could barely put up a fight. And he liked to make it hurt. But the worst was when he would give me to other vamps. Like a reward or to bribe them or just to show off. There was this one time, in the arena..."

She stopped abruptly and Cas thought she had reached her limit with sharing. He squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture and was about to assure her she need not speak of such difficult memories when she surprised him by continuing.

"Luthor liked an audience and sometimes he shared me with more than one at a time. His only rules were don't drink so much it kills me and don't mark up my face. One time he gave me to a whole group that arrived just coz they brought him a Centaur's horn. They took turns and other vamps were watching and cheering and..."

Cas couldn't relate, but he could certainly see the damage the violation and total loss of control had done to Nia. It angered him and a sudden thought struck him that the horrible fate Luthor had met hadn't been horrible enough. Yet through it all, Nia had clung to some morcel of humanity, some scrap of gentleness, and although her motto of _'this is Purgatory, don't think, just kill'_ was like second nature to the savage survivor she had become, he still saw an innocence deep within her. He felt it in her soul. She was beautiful inside and out.

She continued talking but her tone had changed. Her voice was softer and her body had somehow wriggled closer against his.

"I feel different after killing Luthor. I had a demon control me for a year then Luthor for another year and I didn't realize it, but he was still controlling me even after I escaped. He was controlling me through fear and my memories. I hadn't really escaped at all."

He was not surprised by how mature and insightful she seemed at this moment, for even though Dean and Benny could not see past her limited years and small size, Cas had never seen her as a child. To eternal creatures such as angels, once a being reached the point of maturity, age was but a meaningless number. Cas would love her just as much if she was ninety-four instead of twenty-four.

"But he doesn't have a hold of me anymore," Nia concluded with a satisfied nod.

"Because you killed him," Cas finished for her.

"Not just that," she shook her head.

"What else?" Cas was finding this insight fascinating and the fact that it was being shared with him wasn't lost upon him either.

"You," she answered. "I'm not afraid anymore because I have you. And I can touch you. And I don't feel scared when you touch me." She slipped her hand out of his and slid it under the hem of his dirty hospital pinney, her fingers warm against his skin and causing him to shiver involuntarily. "I don't think of Luthor when you touch me. And I want you to touch me."

She looked up at him in a way Cas didn't recognize and he felt his insides flutter.

"If you want to…"

Cas did want to. With alarming measure, Cas wanted to. More than anything he could ever remember wanting. He simply nodded, not sure what the right words were to express the sentiment he was feeling or the physical sensations coursing through him.

She leaned up and kissed him, tender and unsure at first, then with increasing confidence. She lifted up and moved to straddle his legs so she was sitting on his lap, facing him. They had not kissed since the day over two months ago when Dean had interrupted them with a grumbled complaint about 'no hanky panky' but Cas had not let a single day go by without recalling the surge of feelings and sensations that tiny kiss had brought him. As Emanuel, he had shared small pecks with his 'wife' Daphne, but they had merely bonded on a spiritual level and had never been physically intimate. What he was experiencing now from Nia, with her tongue probing his mouth, her hand curled firmly around the back of his neck, and her slim hips grinding slightly in his lap was unlike anything he had experienced before. This was on a whole new level and he suddenly wanted more, much more.

"You make me feel safe," she breathed in between kisses. Cas remembered Dean's advice to let her lead should physical intimacy ever occur between them again and, although feeling a strong urge to wrap his arms around her and pull her closer, he was fairly certain that didn't constitute letting her lead so instead he dropped his hands to his sides.

"You gave me my control back. When you touch me, I don't think of him." Her hands were cupping his bearded face now and she was staring intently into his eyes as she spoke. "I don't remember the things he did, I don't feel weak, I don't feel used. I just feel... you. And I like it." She slipped her hands back under his clothing and ran them up the expanse of his stomach and chest, all the while kissing him more. "Your eyes are so kind and I like the way you look at me. You make me feel so… so…"

"Precious?" he supplied, finding that word fit the way he felt about her better than most.

Her eyes lit up and he knew he had said the right thing. She nodded and stopped moving for a few seconds while she stared at him. A sly smile slowly formed on her lips and she glanced behind her into the darkness. "Am I distracting you from your guard duty?"

His voice was strangely thick when he replied. "No. Angels can still watch and sense the surroundings while engaged in conversation…" he swallowed, "…or other activities."

She giggled. "Good. I'd hate for some Wendigo to sneak up on us when we're naked."

"N-naked?"

"This is our last night here," she whispered in his ear. "I want to have sex with you."

Cas literally felt his vessel's heart skip a beat in his chest at her words. Nia was never one to beat around the bush but to hear her state her desire so bluntly, to think he actually had the chance of doing what he had thought about doing countless times since the incident with Chastity, and to be given the opportunity of doing it with someone he cherished...

God must have granted him the absolution he had been seeking because he could think of nothing he wanted more - especially with her grinding against him the way she was.

Cas was more than happy to follow Dean's advice of letting Nia lead because he was suddenly completely unsure of what to do next in this situation. He had seen the pornographic movies and was familiar with the human anatomy and the mechanics of fornication, but the nuances of human behavior in this area were a mystery to him and, more than anything, he didn't want to make a mistake and unwittingly cause Nia to stop what she was doing.

Her lips were back on his and her hand started wandering, exploring the contours of his chest and abdomen until it finally reached his trousers and tugged at the string in the waistband. Cas was bombarded with new sensations and let out an involuntary choking sound at the onslaught. It took much of his willpower to force his hands to remain where they were lest he do the wrong thing with them and inadvertently make her stop.

"I want to feel you, I want you to feel me," she was saying as she kissed her way down his jawline. "I don't ever want to stop touching you." She rambled on between kisses, verbalizing every thought as it entered her brain and Dear Father in Heaven the stream of words coming out of her mouth were as intoxicating as the hand she was running up and down his thigh. Cas had never thought there would be any need for talking at a time such as this, especially from Nia who tended to keep her words to a minimum, but he was liking the sound of her voice almost as much as her movements. He was, however, hoping for some instruction amongst the rambled sentences of affection and had yet to receive any.

He was breathing heavily by the time she stopped, pulling away suddenly to give him a confused look. He saw her gaze drift down to his hands, which were still planted firmly on the ground at his sides.

"Don't you want to touch me back?"

Cas nodded vigorously. "I do."

"You do?"

"Y-yes. Very much so."

He saw relief sweep across her face before a little smirk curled up one side of her mouth. "Well, get to it then," she said, sounding almost challenging.

"I, um, I'm not sure what to do."

"Oh?" Her eyes suddenly widened. "Ohhh."

Normally he would have felt embarrassment upon the admission of his inexperience but with Nia, he didn't. In fact, he got the impression she was pleased with the revelation, relieved even. It occurred to him then that she was every bit as nervous as he was and talking was her way of keeping this intimate and gentle. It was her way of keeping the communication open enough so that she could be sure he would stop if she asked him to.

But right now she obviously didn't want him to. She smiled and kissed him softly on the lips. "Okay, I'll just tell you what to do then. First, you kiss me."

He was glad for the direction but also figured giving her complete control would be good for her. She was placing a huge amount of trust and faith in him and he wanted nothing more than to be found worthy of it.

"Where?" he asked, his voice husky with anticipation.

"Everywhere."

**~X~X~X~X~**

Cas sat up just as the first rays of the Purgatory sun managed to pierce their way through the uppermost branches of the surrounding trees, careful not to disturb Nia as he slid his arm out from under her. She was sleeping soundly, naked and curled up against him on the soft blanket of her coat. He reached for the hospital pinney that had served as his shirt for the past year and pulled it over his head. His movements were sluggish and slow, as if he was in a daze for he had not been able to shift his thoughts from what he had experienced this night. The incredible feel of Nia as she rocked and swayed on top of him. The sight of her beautiful face, amber eyes locked on his and lips slightly parted in a look of intense pleasure. Her small fingers entwined with his much larger ones, squeezing harder as their tempo had increased. The soft sounds she had made that didn't even come close to resembling real words. That euphoric bliss that had erupted within him and threatened to swallow him alive. The intimacy of it all had been staggering and he'd had a very difficult time keeping even a tiny fraction of his awareness attuned to the surrounding darkness in case of approaching enemies.

He managed to get his shirt on but was distracted by his own thoughts before he tackled the more difficult task of putting his pants back on. He closed his eyes as he replayed that wonderful twenty minutes in his head for the hundredth time but was interrupted by a noise at the mouth of the cave.

His eyes popped open just in time to see Dean emerge and stop short when he noticed them, or more likely, their state of undress. The hunter's mouth flew open but no sound came out and he spun around quickly, turning his back to them. "You two wanna cover up?" he managed finally, speaking in a choked whisper.

"Yes, of course," Cas answered, hurriedly pulling his trench coat over the sleeping girl and standing up to pull on his own trousers. The movement must have awakened Nia for she gasped and sat up, her eyes drifting from Dean to her nudity beneath the cover of Cas's coat.

"Don't turn around," she squealed in a small voice.

"Trust me, I already saw way more than I ever wanted to," Dean chuckled, clearly getting over his embarrassment far more quickly than Nia.

Cas finished dressing then stood and watched Nia do the same, enjoying the sight immensely. She grinned at him as she pulled her dirty, colorless tank top on over her head.

"You can look now," she announced when she was done.

Dean turned around and glanced back and forth between the two of them. "I was just coming out to take last watch shift with Cas," he said finally. Although it was dawn, the group tried to avoid travel in the first two hours of daylight since that seemed to be when the night creatures were settling and the day creatures were stirring and the overlap meant more creatures in general. "But I can leave you two lovebirds alone if you want me to."

"No, that's okay," Nia answered, standing up and grabbing her coat. "I'll go inside with Benny and sleep some more. I'm tired."

"I'll bet you are," Dean mumbled with an impudent grin.

Nia blushed furiously and trudged into the darkness of the cave, Castiel's eyes following her the entire way. He was barely aware of the smile still plastered on his face but Dean apparently noticed for the hunter rolled his eyes and shook his head as he sat down on the ground next to Cas. "You couldn't have waited one more day, huh?" he chuckled.

"Would that have been more prudent?"

Dean just laughed some more. "So did you use the old 'last night on Earth' ploy? Coz I gotta tell ya, I haven't had much success with that one."

"We are not on Earth, in a literal manner of speaking, and…"

"Shut up, Cas."

Cas knew better than to be offended at Dean's words. They were spoken with genuine and obvious fondness. They sat side by side in silence for a minute before Dean turned his head to look at him curiously. "I know you were married before, as Emanuel, but dude, did you just cash in your V-card?"

"I do not understand?"

"Was that your first time?"

Cas frowned, his embarrassment growing. "Why would you assume that?"

"The goofy smile on your face for starters. So Nia popped your cherry last night, huh?"

The smile was still there, despite Cas's slight humiliation. "I will concede I am no longer a virgin but there was no fruit involved."

Dean seemed to be enjoying Cas's embarrassment if his wide grin was any indication. "So how was it? Rock your world?"

Cas nodded, glad for the opening to share these intense feelings with a friend. "Words cannot describe it. She is a stunning sight without the obstruction of clothing and the climax was overwhelmingly satisfying. I think I finally understand the human obsession with the act of fornication."

There was a strangling sound and Dean held up his hand. "Seriously Cas, too much information. Never _ever_ say the words climax or fornication in my presence again." He scrunched up his nose in apparent distaste before giving the angel a hard look. "I hope you… you know, since condoms aren't exactly available at the Purgatory supermarket… you know… you don't want any little Castiel's running around nine months from now…"

"Are you referring to the creation of a Nephilim?" Cas asked. "You need not worry, they are forbidden and are not created through forni… copula…" he paused, trying to think of words that would not earn him another 'shut-up' from Dean, "…in the human traditional method of reproduction. Nia will not be with child."

Dean nodded. "Good to know. I'm not ready to be Uncle Dean just yet."

"May I ask something of you?"

Dean raised a wary eyebrow but nodded. "Course. Shoot."

"When we reach the door, if I cannot pass though, will you look after Nia for me?"

"Come on man, there's no need to even ask that," Dean snorted. "I care about her too, you know. Not in the way you do," he scrunched up his face again, "_obviously_, but she's like a little sister to me. She's family." He narrowed his eyes at Cas. "And don't be talking like that anyway. You're getting through. We all are. I didn't come all this way to lose anyone now."

"I feel the same way," Cas responded, his deep voice soft as the sincere words were spoken. "I could not bear to lose one of you."

Cas knew he was changing. He remembered the conversation he'd had with Benny about the vampire regaining his humanity through love for a human. Cas didn't have a soul but he did feel everything so vividly now, far more so than he had before pulling Dean from Hell. Emotions, feelings, bonds of friendship and love and loyalty. As Purgatory chipped away at the humanity of his three friends, was it having the opposite effect on him? Was he finding some measure of humanity within himself? Had he already done so? Had his bond with Dean started this internal journey and his love for Nia completed it?

**~X~X~X~X~**

Dean did not have to tell Benny about the angel's momentous experience during the pre-dawn watch shift; the vampire took one look at Cas and Nia smiling at each other over breakfast and rolled his eyes. Cas observed the questioning glance the vampire gave Dean and the single nod given as confirmation. The two sat side by side as they ate their breakfast and kept chuckling together, as if enjoying some private joke. Cas was fairly certain it was at his expense but… he looked at Nia and smiled… nothing could dampen his spirits today.

He was wrong about that.

The group headed out a little earlier than usual, all of them anxious to see what this day held in store for them. They made their way down the steep, rocky path into the bottom of the gorge. Dean took the lead with Benny close behind him and Cas brought up the rear.

The angel did not like the position they found themselves in. They had five miles to go and the narrow trail ran between two steep rock faces, giving them no cover from above and making it very easy to pen them in should an enemy be so inclined. His worries appeared to be unfounded because the first four miles were uneventful, but Cas wasn't appeased. In fact, it made him even more apprehensive for they had not traveled a whole four miles in months without being attacked at least once. Something was wrong.

Less than half a mile from the rocky outcrop where the door was supposed to be, Dean stopped short and turned back to the group. "We don't know exactly how this is gonna work," he stated, his face tense. "How close do we have to be?"

Benny shrugged. "The Centaur just said when a human gets close, a seam will open between Purg and home and it won't last long. Keep in mind that a soul might not get a second chance so when it shows up, you get your asses in there pronto."

"We should do this now then." Dean nodded to Benny and drew his knife, preparing to slice his arm so he could perform the ritual and store Benny's soul inside him for the trip. "Can't chance it opening 'fore we get you buckled in and your seat in the upright position."

Benny raised an eyebrow. "I ain't even gonna pretend I know what that means. While I'm up in you, brother, there better be nothing in an upright position."

Nia giggled and Benny grinned at her. He stepped forward and bent down to give her a small kiss on the cheek. "Don't ever change, Little Bit."

The vampire then turned towards Cas and offered his hand. Cas extended his own and Benny shook it firmly. "You get them outta here, Dragonslayer," he said solemnly. "And your own feathery ass, too," he added with a genuine smile.

"And your blood-junkie ass," Cas deadpanned, hoping his insult would be taken as fondness the way Dean's always were. Somehow the teasing banter never seemed to quite flow right when he tried it.

Benny gave him a lopsided smile of approval and a pat on the back before turning back to Dean. "Kay, let's get this show on the road."

Dean nodded tersely and sliced a deep cut across his inner arm. "You ready? Just like we talked about." He handed Benny the knife.

His friend's face showed a rare nervousness as his eyes flitted towards the peak in the distance. "A lotta trust in you, brother."

"You earned it," Dean responded without hesitation as Benny sliced his own arm. The two men grasped each other's forearms, allowing the blood to mix. Cas was almost positive the spoken spell would also prevent Benny's blood from turning Dean vampire during this mixing of bloods but he watched Dean closely just in case. Cas observed the quick look the two friends gave each other that spoke volumes of the friendship and loyalty and trust between them.

"I'll see you on the other side," Benny said quietly.

Dean didn't waste any more time and started the spell. "Con yer te sumos… odem sumos."

Within seconds, Dean's face was contorted in pain and Benny was flashing orange. The vampire dissolved into a mass of light and dark that represented the remnants of his human soul entwined with the twisted darkness of vampirism. Cas watched with interest as the entire swirling mass disappeared into Dean's arm. The hunter staggered back a few steps, grimacing at the lights flashing beneath his skin where his friend's soul was now safely tucked away. He looked up at Cas, his eyes a bit wild. "I think it worked."

"Good. We must make haste." Cas immediately started walking forward, this time taking the lead himself. They were now one less in number should anything attack and the lack of monsters in this valley was bothering him more with each minute that passed.

"Does it hurt?" he heard Nia asking Dean behind him as they walked.

"A little but when was Benny not a pain in the ass, right?"

"Will he be the same when he comes back out?"

"Course he will, Nee. We just gotta find where his family buried his body and hope like Hell his head's in the same casket."

Cas refrained from pointing out that once they got topside, Benny's hunger would return, as would his lust for blood. They all knew this and had all agreed they would trust Benny to keep it under control, but Benny would not be entirely 'the same'.

They kept going, making their way along the narrow, winding pathway as quickly as they could. Though he couldn't see it for a bend in the trail up ahead, Cas estimated they were just a few hundred yards from the outcrop when he felt a presence. Something evil, something sinister... something familiar.

"Shadows!" he warned just as a cluster of them appeared up ahead. He splayed a hand out to keep Dean and Nia behind him, making sure he was between them and the monsters ahead. "Go back!" he shouted to them as he lunged forward and grabbed the lead one by the throat.

"It's frigging daylight!" he heard Dean gripe behind him but the hunter obeyed. Cas knew Dean hated Shadows more than any other monster in this place both because of his traumatic experience with one a week ago and because it was the one monster he couldn't kill with his blade. He was utterly helpless against them and there wasn't much Dean hated more than being helpless.

While curious how the Shadows could now be present in daylight when they had only ever shown themselves at night, Cas thought how ironically fortunate it was they were in a narrow gully because the Shadows could only come at them one at a time.

"More!" he heard Nia shout from somewhere behind him.

He turned to see another line of Shadows gliding smoothly across the rocky path from the direction the travelers had come. Their worst fear had come to pass – they were penned in.

He reached for Nia's sleeve and tugged her sharply in next to him, shouting for Dean to come close as well. Unable to protect them for long from a dual-sided assault, he decided he had to obliterate one of the enemy lines immediately or they would all perish. He chose the cluster ahead of them since at least that way held promise of permanent escape if the door did indeed appear.

He charged forward with his hands outstretched, drawing on every ounce of celestial power he had available to him. He sent blast after blast at the successive line of Shadows, dissolving at least twelve of them into nothingness until the way ahead was clear. "Run!" he panted, again tugging at Nia's sleeve. He shoved her forward and gestured for Dean to get ahead of him also.

The pair did not need much encouragement for the line of Shadows behind them was now just thirty feet away and closing on them. Cas took up the rear and ran after his friends, hoping they could evade their pursuers long enough for him to recharge slightly or at least catch his breath.

They ran for less than a minute before the path walls veered sharply away and they spilled out into a wide, flat, treeless area. "Keep going!" Cas yelled, stopping at the mouth of the path while the other two continued running. Out in the open, he wouldn't be able to stop the Shadows from spreading out and getting around him to Dean and Nia so their only chance was for him to hold them off back here while his friends made it to the door.

He noticed two figures up ahead at the other side of the clearing, standing just fifty feet from the bottom of the rocky outcrop where the door would hopefully show. The pair appeared to be watching them - _waiting_ for them – and although Cas could not identify what manner of creature the figure on the left was, he immediately recognized the figure on the right. He hoped Dean and Nia would be able to take them out for he currently had his hands full with the twenty or so Shadows on their tail and the two were standing directly in front of the outcrop. They were corporeal at least, which meant Dean and Nia stood a chance. He only hoped Nia would not object or get in the way.

"Gordon!"

Dean's voice sounded both shocked and angered as he shouted his recognition of the vampire up ahead. Cas watched with stolen glances as Dean immediately raised his blade and charged towards his old enemy. Within seconds, the two were locked in a fierce battle. The other creature, who looked like a human male with white eyes, didn't budge.

Nia, thankfully, made no attempts to stop Dean from hurting Gordon Walker this time but Castiel's relief was short-lived when he saw her instead fire three successive arrows at the creature that had been standing next to Gordon. All three hit their mark but whatever it was, it didn't even flinch.

Nia didn't falter. She dropped the bow and drew her machete. Cas involuntarily took a step forward towards her but had to abandon the move to close his fist around another Shadow trying to slip past him. He drew his power to smite it, wondering what the creature was. He had his hand around the Shadow's neck when the man raised a hand towards Nia and made a small gesture in the air. She was still twenty feet away from him but she suddenly flew into the air and went sailing backwards only to slam hard onto the ground.

Cas felt something in the instant the creature had used its mojo, something that had flowed into him through the Shadow he held in his grasp. It was with a jolt that he realized what the creature was… and what the Shadows were.

It was a Souleater. Powerful creatures that fed on human souls, growing more powerful with every soul devoured. The Shadows were those souls, dragged here to Purgatory with the creature upon its death. They were twisted and dark from being inside a monster and one hundred percent under the Souleater's control.

Cas put everything together with angel speed. Gordon Walker must have figured out what Nia was talking about when she had suggested they take him with them upon their encounter with the vampire months ago. He had somehow since allied himself with a Souleater and its army of Shadows to help in hunting them down and discovering the location of the door. The attack on the Amazon compound could have been an attempt to capture Dean and Nia – Valista had said the Shadows had never attacked as aggressively as that before. This explained why the Shadows had continued to pursue them far beyond their usual territory. It also explained why they had stopped attacking after they had assaulted Dean – they had discovered the location of the door from his thoughts and had decided to ambush them instead. From what Cas knew about these creatures, the Shadows could leave their master's body in daylight only when they were in close proximity… like when he was standing fifty feet away.

His thoughts were interrupted by a wave of dizziness that struck him as he smited yet another Shadow. He could see Nia was still on the ground barely moving and Dean was rolling groggily to his feet with fresh blood covering the right side of his face. Cas needed to finish the rest of these Shadows off and get over to help them but there were just too many. He was weakening quickly and the black shapes were still charging him, trying to get through the bottleneck of the narrow gully.

With Dean on the ground, Gordon had the advantage and planted a few painful but non-lethal kicks into the hunter's side rather than using his blade. Clearly his intentions were not to kill. Cas instinctively took a step in Dean's direction but stopped as the movement opened up too wide of a gap and three Shadows escaped out of the gully at the same time. He lunged for them and managed to grasp two but the third slipped past him. It glided quickly over towards Nia, who was struggling to sit up, clearly not yet in a state of full awareness.

"Nia!" he called out, knowing he couldn't go to her without letting more Shadows into the clearing and endangering her even further. The Souleater was simply standing still, observing the fight between Gordon and Dean with interest but not moving to interfere. Cas was near panic as the Shadow advanced on Nia but Gordon suddenly stopped kicking Dean and moved to situate himself between her and the approaching Shadow.

"Haus!" he yelled angrily at the Souleater. "Keep your pets off my prize! You get the hunter, I get the girl! That's our deal!"

The Souleater nodded and the Shadow veered away, heading back towards Cas. The diversion, however, had allowed Dean a few seconds reprieve and a chance to push himself back to his feet.

So Gordon Walker was looking for a ticket topside with Nia. The only question that remained was whether the Souleater wanted Dean for the same reason or simply for the pleasure of devouring one more human soul.

"You bastard!" Dean spat at Gordon. "You sold us out!"

Gordon gave the hunter a smug look. "Not at all, Deano. I only sold you out. I would never hurt my little Nia. She and I are going to reconnect for a while - free of your bad influence - then she's going to take me back topside."

Dean lunged with his retrieved blade. "You don't have control over her anymore, you blood-sucking dick. She won't do it," he spat.

"That's where you're wrong," the vampire sneered, parrying Dean's swing but not following up with his own attempt at a lethal strike. "She owes me and she knows it."

"Yeah, well nobody's taking you topside once I take your head off." Dean attacked once more with renewed vigor and Cas couldn't help but notice his friend certainly was a formidable foe when people he cared about were threatened.

Nia finally made it to her feet and Cas felt a measure of relief despite the blood he could see matting the hair on the back of her head. His attention was stolen by a strange light appearing above them and he glanced up to see a shimmering shape in the air at the top of the rocky outcrop up ahead. It looked like a seam splitting open in the empty space a few feet above the ground, blue-green lights dancing within its ever-flowing edges.

The door. It was reacting to Dean and Nia. They had to get past Gordon and the Souleater quickly for Benny had said the door would not stay open for long.

The weakening angel continued to smite Shadows, taking them out one or two at a time until he felt the last one dissolve in his grasp. He staggered a step but headed towards where Nia had now joined the fight against Gordon. She was obviously still feeling the effects of hitting her head for she was slow and stumbling slightly where she was normally quick and light on her feet.

The Souleater did not look pleased at the destruction of his horde of Shadows and he narrowed his eyes and snarled, looking as if he was about to charge the angel but a breathless call from Gordon diverted his attention.

"You want your ticket home, Haus, come and get him!"

Dean had somehow turned the tables and had Gordon retreating from a furious volley of non-stop swings with the hunter's homemade blade. The Souleater, hopefully depleted of its devoured soul minions, finally moved, raising its hand in the direction of Dean and Gordon. Cas knew it was going to use whatever power it had used on Nia to hurt or restrain Dean so he raced forward to intercepted it. He slammed his body into it, one hand clasping it by the arm and the other pressing into its face.

He discovered quickly that whatever power he had left in him after desecrating the Shadow ranks was not enough to smite something as powerful as a Souleater and soon found himself locked in an intense battle of inner might. The Souleater was resisting his smiting powers and throwing back an equal measure of its own, slamming a force into Cas like a tidal wave of pain through a hand it had planted on the angel's face.

Cas knew he was fighting not only for his life but for Dean's and Nia's and Benny's so he drew on every scrap of will he could muster to hold on to his grace while sending all the mojo he could right back at the Souleater. He was barely aware of worried Nia's cry as she ran towards him but felt the shockwaves of pain being sent through him flicker ever so slightly when the Souleater diverted a tiny rush of power in her direction. She never cried out as she hit the ground but Dean did, calling her name with concern before letting loose a mad frenzy of swings with his blade that ended up with Gordon Walker's head toppling to the ground several feet from his flailing body. Cas more heard this than saw it but knew this could be their only chance.

"Dean!" he called without looking, trying not to ease up on his defenses for even a split second for that would be all it took for his enemy to get the upper hand and kill him. "The door is opening! Get to the door!"

"Not without you!" was the shouted reply, though Cas could barely hear it over the painful and intense rush in his ears.

"I can't hold him for long!" Cas panted back. "Go!"

"No! Cas!" Nia's voice was panicked and he heard her rushing towards him again. This time Dean was right beside her.

The Souleater blasted them both away. Its power faltered for an instant so brief that Cas could not take advantage of it. He did manage to glimpse sideways to see both of his friends trying to stand, the blood running down Nia's face now matching that on Dean's.

"The door will not stay open long!" Cas warned. "You must go through it now!"

"No! Cas!" Nia was screaming and from the sounds of a scuffle, Cas believed Dean was physically preventing her from rushing forward again. It was then he realized he had been forced to his knees, giving every appearance he was losing this battle. If this was to be the moment of his death, he regretted that she should be here to witness it.

"Dean!" he rasped, appealing to the hunter's propensity to stay cool in the heat of battle. "Get to the door!"

"Cas?" Dean's tone was questioning. The hunter needed assurance his friend would be alright.

"Get to the door and I will be right behind you," Cas lied, feeling the anger swell in the Souleater and its power intensify as a result. Cas knew he would not win this battle.

"Not without you," Dean insisted. "You can take this sucker, come on!"

"The door, Dean. Get to the door!" He realized then Dean would not leave him. It was the hunter's nature to protect those he cared about… but perhaps Cas could use that.

"Get Nia to the door," he pleaded, trying to push himself back up onto his feet. "Please, Dean, I'm begging you… to do this one thing… for me. Save Nia… for me. I'll be… right behind you but… just in case…"

"No, no, we can't leave him," Nia was suddenly crying and the sounds of a scuffle intensified. "Dean! No! Let go of me!"

Cas caught a glimpse of them, Dean dragging a screaming Nia up the steep slope to where the door was swirling in a shimmering display of lights that would have been spectacular to watch without all the drama.

The sight gave him renewed hope and a fresh surge of energy flowed through him, causing the Souleater to gasp and make a choking sound, its power ebbing just long enough for Cas to get back on his feet. He let a smug smile form on his lips and his blue eyes locked with the Souleater's white ones. It was evident the creature was furious at seeing its intended prey escaping.

"No! Dean don't! We can't leave him! Cas! Cas! Noooo!" Nia's last cry was swallowed as Dean gave her a hard shove forward and the light engulfed her. Cas caught a glimpse of her face as it disappeared and burned the image into his memory, hoping it would not be the last time he saw her.

He expected Dean to follow Nia into the door but should have known better. His heart lurched when he saw the hunter making his way back down the steep slope, coming back to fight at his side. He should have known he had not been convincing in his insistence that he would be right behind them and he should have known Dean would never abandon a friend.

He was on his very last reserves of power and he knew it. He spared a measure of heartfelt regret that Jimmy Novak's dormant soul would never find its way to Heaven when he died in this God-forsaken place before turning his worry to Dean. If the Souleater defeated Cas, Dean would be helpless against it and that beautiful soul he had touched when raising his charge from Perdition would be devoured, tortured and twisted inside this monster for centuries until it became just another Shadow.

No. That couldn't happen. He couldn't let it happen. He drew on every ounce of celestial power he had left and fueled it with thoughts of friendship and admiration for Dean, thoughts of belonging and companionship with his Purgatory family, and thoughts of love for his wild and precious Nia waiting for him on the other side of that door. With everything he had left in him, he hurled the force forward, channeling it through the arm to the hand he still had planted on the Souleater's face.

It burst out of him with explosive force, lighting the Souleater up in a glorious display of lights as its dying body flew fifty feet backwards into the air and practically exploded.

"Oh shit! Cas!"

Cas was lying on his back on the ground, his vision mottled with blinding white spots and his body thrumming painfully in every single nerve ending and then some. He turned his head sideways to see Dean about halfway down the side of the rocky outcrop, his anxious face backlit by the dancing lights of the door thirty feet above him.

He tried to speak but no words came out. He tried to move but his vessel remained still. Yet hope surged within him. The door was still open. Gordon Walker and the Souleater were dead. He and Dean would pass safely through the door. He had succeeded in seeing them all to safety and they would all live. They would go home.

_He had earned his redemption. His Father had forgiven him. _

He found his thoughts lingering on the kiss he would give Nia as soon as he got to the other side and his head lulled sideways in the grass once more.

The bright spots in his field of vision dissipated enough for him to focus on Dean. The hunter was at the bottom of the slope, still heading this way. As weak as he was, Cas managed a smile, lifting a hand to assure his friend he was alive and well.

The light of the door suddenly intensified and Cas tilted his head upwards to see its edges start to pulse and jerk more sharply. Suddenly the twenty foot wide hole in the sky got blindingly bright and expanded sharply, morphing into a hundred-foot diameter hole that snatched Dean from the bottom of the rocky slope and swallowed him up. Then, just as quickly, the light disappeared, folding in on itself until it was completely gone, a panicked cry of 'Cas!' echoing in its wake.

Then silence.

Cas lay still for a long moment, his battered mind registering what had just happened. Dean and Nia and Benny were safe. They had made it through the door and were back home, away from the relentless, ruinous dangers of Purgatory.

Yet he was still here. The door had not wanted him. He had been wrong, thinking he was forgiven, thinking he had earned his redemption. _This_ was his fate. _This_ was his penance. He would serve the rest of eternity here, clawing to survive among the monsters and the evil and the beasts of darkness, among those who had turned from God and made mistakes for which there was no redemption.

His heart felt like it was being crushed in a vice as his thoughts drifted to Nia. Seeing her to safety had been a God-given mission for him, but letting her go and spending eternity in Purgatory without her was the final punishment God had sent his way. He understood this now. He deserved this.

As he lay on his back in the clearing, exhaustion pulling at him, he felt a strange coolness on his face and lifted a tired hand to investigate. He only lasted long enough to discover tears running silently down his cheeks before oblivion swallowed him.

**~X~X~X~X~**

_**A/N**__: I know, poor Cas. It's not over yet - one more chapter to go. This chapter a long one, sorry, but a lot happened and I didn't want to split it up. I had a hard time deciding how to cover Cas and Nia's encounter but their romance was kind of innocent and sweet from the start and thought keeping it very clean was the way to go (that and the story has a T-rating). Celiasingssongs requested a Cas/OC fic and I thank her for the inspiration and hope the story has kept her (and everybody else reading it) entertained so far. Almost finished! Reviews would be loved!_


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